
Class JIXI^L^ 
Book_lE.5B 

CopyiiglitN" 

COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 



BACH6LOKS 
CUPBQAI^ 

ContQmingCrumbsCuIkd 

from theCupboardsof 

fhc Great Ifnwedded 

Gollcetedhy 
^'Ijyman T^hillips 

Drawings -by 

imiijenkins 



Boston (^London 

JoJinWluce &^Compam/ 






| i[ i«" i PI r m'— — — »g— l uii i L, .i. i Mii 

LIBRARY Of CONGRESS 
Twe Copies Received 

DEC II !906 
/n C.opyrteht Entry 
C/clV, -i. ^, '"Jo^ 
CUSS A XXc, No. 

COPY B. 



Copyright t igo6 
By John W. Luce & Co. 



Entered at Stationers' Hall 



Colonial Press 

Electrotyped and Printed by C. H. Simonds & Co. 
Boston, U. S. A. 




TO 

OF 

THE FIVE BACHELORS OF " THE SHACK," 

I AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATE 

THIS BOOK. 




CHAPTER 

I. On Being a Bachelor 

11. The Impecunious Bachelor 

III. Stocking the Cupboard 

IV. Bachelor Etiquette 
V. Around the Camp Fire 

VI. Carving and Game 

VII. Snacks of Sea Food 

VIII. A Chat on Cheese 

IX. Devils and Grills 

X. Mexican and Creole Cooking 

XL Bachelor Bonnes Bquchees 

XII. Concerning Condiments 

XIII. Various Variations v^^ith Vegetables 

XIV. A Dissertation on Drinks 
XV. What to Pay for Wines and How to 

Choose Them .... 

XVI. Correct Wines for All Occasions 

XVII. Temperance Drinks 

XVIII. Correct Clothes .... 

XIX. How A Man May Valet Himself 

XX. How TO Cleanse Clothing 

XXI. Handy Hints on Housekeeping 



9 

19 
29 

37 
49 
57 
67 

77 
85 

97 

113 
125 

133 

149 
161 
177 
181 
187 
197 
205 




CHAPTER I 

" Ak ! drink if you -will to tte tandsome 
man. 
Or tte proud atklete undaunted. 
And toast him, too, tke kusband true, 
^VTiose faitk kas long been vaunted. 
And drink to the strong and tandsome 
man. 
But lift your glasses higher 
^^Hien the toasts ring out, in a merry 
shout. 
For the man that men admire." 

— James Clarence Harvey. 

Being a bachelor is easy. Staying a 
bachelor — ah! there's the hitch! But 
that's another story. Yes, it's easy to 
be a bachelor, but to be a thorough- 
bred, unless it is inbred and the single 
man is " to the manner born," is more 
difficult. It requires unlimited time, 
patience and education as well as a 
store of myriad bits of information 
on a multitude of subjects. 





%i^ 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

On Being a Bachelor 

The " correct " bachelor must not only know how, 
but he must know why. He must be a woman's man 
and a man's man, an all-round " good fellow." He 
must " fit " everywhere and adapt himself to all sorts 
of society under all sorts of circumstances. Good 
breeding and kindliness of heart are the essentials. 
These, above everything, he must have ; and given them, 
the other attributes may be easily acquired by study 
and observation. 

Any man may be a bachelor — most men are at some 
time in their lives. The day of the " dude " has passed 
and the weakling is relegated to his rightful sphere in 
short order. But to the bachelor the world looks for 
its enjoyment and inspiration and gayety. Upon him, 
as a matter of course, fall many burdens. These, if he 
knows how to bear them, are speedily transformed into 
blessings and counted as privileges. 

Have not some of the world's greatest men enjoyed 
lives of single-blessedness? Have not some of its 
greatest bon-vivants, epicures, artists, musicians, and 
writers led the solitary life from preference rather than 
necessity ? 

"J am a bachelor," says one gallant, " because I love 
all womankind so well I cannot discriminate in favor 
of the one." 

Bachelors are the most charming of entertainers. 
What woman ever refuses an opportunity to chaperon 
at a bachelor dinner or studio tea? What debutante 
does not feel secretly ecstatic at the very idea of look- 

2 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

On Being a Bachelor 

ing behind the scenes and peeping into the corners of 
some famous bachelor menage? And who, indeed, can 
be a more perfect host than a bachelor? He can be 
equally gracious and devoted to all women because of 
the absence of that feminine proprietorship which al- 
ways tends to make the married man withhold his most 
graceful compliments, his most tender glances and his 
most winning smile. 

It is the bachelor who makes society; without him 
it would Indeed be tame and find itself dwindling down 
into a hot-bed of discontent, satiety and monotony. 
He adds just the right touch of piquancy to its hot- 
house existence and furnishes husbands for Its debu- 
tantes and flirtations for its married women. 

His versatility makes him a valuable acquisition to 
any gathering. He knows the correct thing in dress, 
the latest novelty of the London haberdasher and what 
the King Is wearing to Ascot. He is familiar with the 
etiquette of European courts and American drawing- 
rooms and can tell of the little peculiarities of social 
functions in Washington, Boston, Baltimore, Charles- 
ton, London or Vienna. He can valet himself if he 
has to, and does not scorn to clean his own boots in an 
emergency. 

He can quote that prince of epicures, Brillat-Savarin, 
and tell how Billy Soule broils trout over the coals. 
When it comes to condiments, he can tell by the aroma 
of a dish what its seasoning is; at mixing toothsome 
devils and curries he is a past master. He is an au- 

3 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

On Being a Bachelor 

thorlty on wines and knows how to judge them; or, 
possibly eschewing alcoholic beverages, he can offer sat- 
isfactory substitutes that fill the bill, and is sufficiently 
broad to take his lime and seltzer or Apollinarls with a 
crowd of good fellows growing mellow over their 
champagne; and ten to one he has a fund of witty rep- 
artee that scintillates among that of his fellows. If 
he drinks, he does It like a gentleman and knows when 
to " turn down the empty glass." If he has a hobby, 
he rides it decently without coming a cropper at every 
high gate. 

The correct bachelor knows all these things intui- 
tively. He may be impecunious, but he must be artistic. 
The " artistic temperament " is more easily acquired 
than the stolid young lawyer poring over his Blackstone 
may dream. The combination of the practical and 
artistic is much to be desired, and with each succeeding 
generation this is becoming more largely a matter of 
intuition and environment than study. 

The artistic temperament flourishes in that real 
Land of Bohemia " where many are called, but few 
are chosen." There " every man is manly, every 
woman is pure " and the spirit of bon camaradie is al- 
ways in the air. The old Greek maxim, " Know thy- 
self," and that other, " To thine own self be true," 
build a creed of greater worth than tomes of ancient 
lore. " The hand clasp firm of those who dare and 
do — half way meets that of those who bravely do and 
dare." 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

On Being a Bachelor 

The " men who do things," the most talked-of 
bachelors, form brilliant coteries in different parts of 
the world. The Lambs' Club in New York, the Bo- 
hemian Club in San Francisco, bravely pulling itself 
together after its great disaster, the Savage Club in 
London, the St. Botolph Club in Boston — all show in 
a glance over their membership rolls the names of men 
who not only do things, but do them well. Renowned 
artists, famous composers, maestros, millionaires, au- 
thors and all-round good fellows gather to applaud the 
work of their fellow members and are eager to en- 
joy the spirit of Bohemian brotherhood. 

Many bachelors, after an early life of uncertainty, 
find themselves past the threshold of success, but 
through money and character they may attain a place 
in society. 

Many have slaved over ledgers and bent over the 
ticker, who have had no time in the bustle and worry 
of their business life and struggle for success to 
gather the odd bits of miscellaneous knowledge of 
etiquette, arts and letters, epicurism, habiliment, and 
so on, that are required of a successful bachelor. " Be- 
ing a bachelor " becomes a business, even as keeping a 
set of books or making investments. Any bit of knowl- 
edge that will add to his accomplishments is as good a 
business investment as a bond or mining certificate. 
The latter may be taken away, but his knowledge, once 
gained, is always his " to have and to hold." 

Even as " a little knowledge is a dangerous thing," 

5 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

On Being a Bachelor 

how much more dangerous is It to be without it. No 
one is so wise that his wisdom may not be Increased. 
One bachelor may be able to win at poker or break a 
broncho Into quivering submission to his will, but will 
be quite out of place, like the proverbial bull in a china 
shop, In a fashionable drawing-room, and all for want 
of a little knowledge of the etiquette of afternoon teas 
or evening receptions. Another may be able to cook 
and serve a French dinner of eight courses, but be piti- 
fully wanting In the lore of camp cookery and *' rough- 
ing it." Another may be an authority on colonial fur- 
niture and a connoisseur of wines, yet wonder why peo- 
ple try to hide an involuntary expression of surprise 
when he appears at dinner In a Tuxedo and a white 
waistcoat. 

For some years the world at large has been possessed 
of a passion for knowing " how to do things." " How 
to do this " and " how to make that " have been " top- 
liners " in Sunday newspapers, and from " Jiu Jitsu in 
twenty lesslons " to *' what to name the baby " and 
" how to make your canary bird sing," these expert 
writers have condensed their stores of knowledge into 
printed page or paragraph and have set forth In con- 
cise or exhaustive Information, as the case may be, 
" how to do " almost everything under the sun. Even 
David Belasco has been tempted into telling how to 
write plays, and Bernard Shaw instructs one upon 
" going to church." " Bossle " Mulhall shows how to 

6 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

On Being a Bachelor 

rope a steer and Theodore Roosevelt tells how to lead 
a strenuous life; but In all this great store of condensed 
instruction one field at least has remained still uncov- 
ered. No one has written on " how to be a bachelor," 
for the spinsters seem to have appropriated all the 
space. For them there has been advice a-plenty on 
how to select a husband and how to keep on the sunny 
side of thirty, and so on through the gamut of woman- 
lore. 

•Why has the bachelor been neglected? Possibly 
because he is popularly supposed to be quite self-suffi- 
cient and omniscient. An occasional paragraph on why 
clocked socks are better form than embroidered ones, or 
how to tell when the girl of one's choice loves him, 
creeps into print ; but for the bachelor who really wants 
to " know how " there is no royal road to learning save 
the rocky, steep thoroughfare that each one must needs 
climb by himself on his daily journey in quest of 
Experience. 

There is no " complete compendium " for the ambi- 
tious bachelor who wishes to become bon vivant, 
epicure, " connoisseur de vins " and '^ up " on all the 
little things that combine to make him an authority on 
the things of single men of the world. But his pro- 
verbial fare of " bread and cheese and kisses " needs to 
be modified to suit present-day needs, and the judicious 
addition of a few crumbs to his store of provender may 
be welcome. From these crumbs from many bachelor 

7 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

On Being a Bachelor 

cupboards, then, may he find an occasional " crumb of 
comfort " and a little lift over some hard place along 
the road. If he finds It herein, the purpose of " A 
Bachelor's Cupboard " will have been fulfilled. 





" In heat of youtK poor Jack engaged a 

■wife 
Wkose tongue, lie found, migtit prove a 

scourge for life ; 
Perplexed, tie still jjut off ttie evil day. 
Grew sick at length, and just expiring 

lay. 
To -which sad crisis, having brought the 

matter 
To wed or die — he -wisely chose the 

latter. " 

Of all bachelors, the impecunious 
bachelor is most deserving of sympa- 
thy. In fact, he is the only one who 
needs it. No one ever asks a mill- 
ionaire bachelor w^hy he leads a 
single life; the reason is too obvious. 
But too often, alas! it is from neces- 
sity rather than choice that the im- 
pecunious fellow remains single. 
That is the irony of Fate. " To those 
who would wed, it shall be denied." 

9 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

The Impecunious Bachelor 

Possibly it may be the Invasion of woman Into all 
the trades and professions of men that accounts for this 
dollarless portion of many young men. Where once 
they reigned supreme, they are now dethroned and 
doomed to grow round shouldered over a ledger at 
twelve dollars a week, while a gay. Irresponsible miss 
of seventeen fresh from the Business College runs 
everything In the office from the temperature to " The 
Boss," and drav/s eighteen or twenty dollars from Its 
coffers every Saturday night. 

A man of good family and enviable social connec- 
tions who may be obliged to work for a meagre stipend, 
has to forego many pleasures that rightfully belong to 
him. He may not afford his club, his favorite military 
organization must be stricken from his list ; he is chary 
of accepting social obligations which he may not return, 
therefore is obliged to miss many a pleasant evening. 
He is too proud to become a " hanger on," and if he 
has had money and lost It, then Is his lot even harder, 
for he Is often patronized by his one-time friends. 
Only a man who has lost his money knows how many 
of his friends went with it. 

The strictest economy is his allotment; and even 
with a salary of twenty-five or thirty dollars a week, he 
may not indulge in many social pleasures. If he has 
been accustomed to the good things of life, it is indeed 
hard for him to give up the things he most enjoys. A 
twenty-one-meal ticket at four dollars will keep away 
hunger, but one might almost prefer hunger's pangs 

10 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

The Impecunious Bachelor 

occasionally to the agonies of a public dining-room with 
its poor ventilation, mixed company and hurried serv- 
ice. These would combine to make a perfect dinner 
unendurable. And the average dinner of the boarding 
house is far from perfection. 

But after all, there is compensation in this state, as 
in all things. The Impecunious Bachelor has his true 
and loyal friends, and he can always depend upon them 
in any emergency. They are his friends for friend- 
ship's sake, not for what he may possess in worldly 
goods. And if he is inclined to be philosophical, he 
may extract from his dull routine many pleasures that 
are denied his more fortunate brothers. 

The Bachelor who earns about $1000 a year, may, 
if he does a little careful thinking, live comfortably, 
even luxuriously. If he sets up his Lares and Penates in 
an unfurnished room and builds for himself therein at 
least one room of his " house of dreams." 

Here, his individuality may run riot, and because he 
Is poor is by no means a reason why he should be com- 
monplace. His one room may be as artistic as he de- 
sires, and if he is willing to sacrifice a little of his time 
and thought, the result will soon be in evidence. Its 
decorations may reflect his tastes, whether they be for 
riding, fishing and hunting, good pictures or athletic 
sports. He may not be a bachelor from choice ; but it 
is far easier to put money by for the home which he 
expects to have one day, If he has comfortable bachelor 
quarters in which to spend his evenings. With his 

II 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

The Impecunious Bachelor 

books, his pipe, all his treasures about him, and a 
few loyal friends to drop in now and then to keep him 
company, he will soon cease to regret the absence of 
club life, and in his own little circle will be far happier 
than many men of ten times his income. 

Suppose a man has an income of $1200 a year. This 
means $25 a week, and upon this basis he may live 
delightfully — if he knows how to deny himself certain 
things. 

Ordinarily, a man would pay for a furnished room 
in a good locality no less than $5.00 a week. For 
from $150 to $175 a year it is possible in most cities to 
get a large unfurnished room with a good closet, and 
in some cases hot and cold water in the room, together 
with the privilege of the bath on the same floor — ^which, 
however, he is likely to have to share with two or three 
others. 

If he takes an unfurnished room at $150, this leaves 
a margin of $100 with which to purchase his own 
belongings. Perhaps he will feel that he can afford 
to spend another $50, since it is only for the first 
year that this additional expense of furnishing will be 
had. 

Upon taking it by the year, the proprietors of the 
house or apartments are supposed to put it in perfect 
order. Generally they are willing to paper it for a 
permanent t«jnant, allowing him to choose the paper for 
himself. If he can induce them to put up a plate rail 
about five feet from the floor, so much the better. 

12 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

The Impecunious Bachelor 

There may be a figured paper In warm crimsons, cool 
dark blues or sage greens, according to the exposure of 
the room and its allowance of sunlight, below the 
plate rail. Above it, plain cartridge paper of the same 
prevailing shade will make an excellent background for 
his pictures and other decorations. 

The floor will also be done over and nicely waxed, 
and window shades are supposed to be furnished. Also 
heat and hot and cold water. The gas or electric lights 
are generally extra and each room provided with sl 
meter. 

If one has no book case, and there Is a corner in the 
room where bookshelves could be built, a carpenter 
will, for a comparatively small amount, fashion shelves 
to fit that particular space and deliver them painted 
or stained to match the woodwork of the room. He 
will also make for three or four dollars, a frame for a 
window seat which the bachelor may upholster himself 
if he be inclined. If the room has a bay window, the 
seat would cost a trifle more, but the result would be 
well worth the expenditure. The bookshelves may be 
fitted with glass doors, or a simple brass rod upon which 
a curtain may be hung. 

Weathered oak, despite the fact that It Is so com- 
monly used now, makes Ideal furnishing for bachelor 
quarters. If he prefers to buy old mahongany, and has 
the time to attend auction sales, he may pick up great 
bargains and for a half more gratify his taste for 
antiques. 

13 



A BACHELOR^S CUPBOARD 

The Impecunious Bachelor 

If he decides upon weathered oak, a fair idea of the 
expense may be gained from the following prices: 

Chiffonier, which should be severely plain with brass 
knobs, $24.00 ; round table, four feet in diameter with 
a shelf beneath, $6.00 ; a bed-couch, four feet wide and 
eight feet long with National springs, may be bought 
with mattress for $7.00; a Morris chair in weathered 
oak with cushions at from $12.00 (leatherette cush- 
ions) to $20.00 (with real leather) ; two colonial 
chairs at $1.85 each, $3.70; an arm chair or rocking 
chair with leather seat, $5.00; a closed or flat-top desk 
will be $8.00 more — although they are to be had at 
from $5.00 upwards — and a desk chair with leather 
seat to match will be $4.00 more. For from $15.00 to 
$20.00, cabinets for chafing dish and " Bachelor's Cab- 
inets " for bottles and glasses may be had. Doubtless 
he will want but one, and if so, let this be for the 
bottles. A settee at $6.00 with a back which forms a 
table is a convenient piece of furniture for a bachelor. 
In the seat, he may keep his overshoes, gloves or any- 
thing he chooses. Some bachelors use them for tea 
things, which are thus kept free from dust. This is 
admirable to use for chafing dish cookery, because of 
its ample size, and is to be recommended rather than a 
small table. 

A tabouret for smoking things and a rack for plates 
and steins will cost respectively $2.50 and $3.00 more; 
if he includes in the furnishings a piano which may be 
hired for $40.00 a year or purchased upon the instal- 

14 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 
The Impecunious Bachelor 

ment plan for about the same sum, this will be sufficient 
furniture for a room of ordinary size. 

If the room has an alcove, so much the better. In 
this his chiffonier may be set, and portieres may screen 
It from sight. He may sleep upon his couch, and the 
alcove might serve as a dressing-room. If the man is 
handy with tools, he might make for himself from old 
packing boxes a cupboard for his boots, shoes, blacking 
brushes, etc., to be kept here. A shelf could be put 
across one side of the alcove, upon which to keep hat 
boxes, with hooks beneath; a curtain tacked along this 
shelf would cover his clothing and keep the dust from 
It. With this provision, his closet could be used for 
the storage of his eatables or as a " kitchenette." If 
It be fitted with running water, as many closets are in 
old-fashioned houses, so much the better. 

If the bachelor wants to pay a particular compliment 
to one of his women friends, then let him ask her to 
help select the curtains. For $2.00 a palf at the most 
he should succeed In finding something quite recherche 
that will be In keeping with the hangings of the room. 
If he wishes sash curtains, then let them, together with 
the curtains before the bookshelves, be of raw pongee 
silk. If the lady is a very particular friend, perhaps 
she'll offer to make them for him. 

As for rugs — that's a delicate question. But let 
us suggest that for temporary use the bachelor purchase 
some of the pretty Japanese cotton rugs that come in 
pleasing designs and rich colorings. These may be 

15 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

The Impecunious Bachelor 

had 3x6 at $1.50 each, and look as well as many a ten- 
dollar rug. Then, when he sees a special bargain In 
good Persian, Turkish or Afghanistan rug, he may 
buy whatever strikes his fancy; excellent books on 
rugs with beautiful Illustrations are available at the 
Public Libraries, and a few evenings' study on the sub- 
ject will give a man an Insight into rug buying that 
will stand him in good stead, provided he is not al- 
ready a connoisseur. 

The furniture already mentioned will cost about 
$104.00. Then there will be the additional expense 
of couch and table covers, curtains and sash curtains, 
linen, and pillows or cushions. 

For this room the bachelor will need six sheets and 
six pillow slips, half a dozen bath towels, a dozen and 
a half of hand towels, a couple of scarves for the 
chiffonier, a dozen glass towels and three or four dus- 
ters. These will cost as follow: — sheets, $3.00; pillow 
slips, $1.50. Three slips may be sufficient. Bath 
towels, $1.50 to $3.00, according to quality; hand 
towels, $4.50; dusters, which may be of cheesecloth, 
25c.; and glass towels, $1.50 to $2.00. He will also 
need a pair of blankets at from $3.00 to $5.00 and 
possibly a puff or comforter, which will be $3.00 for 
cotton and $10.00 for down. 

This linen he will Include in his laundry, and it will 
probably average a dozen and a half pieces a week, for 
which he will pay at the rate of $.50 the dozen. 

The lights will probably average about $1.50 to 

16 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

The Impecunious Bachelor 

$2.00 extra a month and the service of a maid Is gen- 
erally ten cents an hour or $1.00 a week, which In- 
cludes giving the room a thorough cleaning once a 
week and " doing it up " on other days, making the 
bed, dusting and airing, washing what dishes may be 
left from breakfast or the night before and putting 
things to rights generally. Thus the actual expense 
of the room and laundry will average about $5.00 to 
$5.25 a week. If the bachelor particularly wishes to 
retrench, he may, as many men do, care for his own 
room. 




17 




CHAPTER III 

'WTien I -was a bachelor, I lived by 

myself. 
And. all tbe bread and cbeese I bad, I 
put upon tbe sbelf . " 

— Mother Goose. 

"Tbe Fate of Nations Depends upon 
How Tbey Are Fed. " 

— Brillat-Savahin. 

In stocking the cupboard there is 
much to be considered: whether the 
bachelor sports his own menage with 
a cook and butler and valet, or 
wh'^ther he has simply a humble flat 
which he shares with other men, pre- 
sided over by a New England spin- 
ster maid-of-all-work of uncertain 
age, a capable Chinaman, a joyful 
" Jap," a " greaser," or a " cullud 
gen'leman," according to its locality. 
Whether it be a single man of means 
whose hotel furnishes him with a 



19 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Stocking the Cupboard 

kitchenette and a cold storage box in his apartment, 
or one of " the ballroom boys " who has his larder in 
a shoe box, nailed to the window ledge, a mental process 
is essential. 

In the process of elimination the bachelor with his 
own menage may be " cut out." He knows what he 
wants — and if he doesn't, then his butler does. For 
the others, and the impecunious bachelor mentioned in 
another chapter, a little gratuitous advice may not be 
amiss, particularly since it is contributed by scores of 
bachelors who are guilty of various degrees of house- 
keeping and by some artists who have the science of 
hiding a complete housekeeping outfit behind a Japanese 
screen down pat. 

" Blessed be nothing " so far as possessions are con- 
cerned ; for there Is nothing like starting on a " clean 
slate," as it were. 

The bachelors who live in a flat are hard people to 
deal with when it comes to furnishing the kitchen, for 
each one has his own pet ideas, culled from nothing in 
particular, as to what the furnishings of kitchen, dinln^;- 
room and pantry should include. 

My sympathies are with the " ballroom boy " who 
has limited space, limited means, limited acquaintance. 
To him, stocking his cupboard often becomes a tragedy, 
because of his inability to distinguish in his blessed in- 
experience between necessities and luxuries. Some 
there are who decide that they can do without neces- 
sities but must have luxuries. Supposing then, that 
he Is " the bachelor Impecunious " who has his quarters 

20 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 
Stocking the Cupboard 

nicely fitted up for permanent occupation, save the 
things necessary for that closet which he will have for 
his " kitchenette and pantry " and Is going to stock 
up on the utensils and supplies necessary for his use in 
providing his ov^^n breakfast, and an occasional Sunday 
spread or little supper for his friends. The stocking 
of the cupboard may be divided Into three classes: the 
service, the utensils for cooking, etc., and the supplies. 
In ordinary cases the following list will be sufficient. 
The bachelor should remember If the first cost seems 
a bit large, although It eats a tremendous hole In his 
week's salary, that it Is the first cost that counts ; for the 
dishes will last, likewise the condiments " and sich," 
most of which will keep Indefinitely. 

THE For ordinary use, he may follow his own 

SERVICE taste In china; but It Is well to expend a 
trifle more In getting something that is artistic, and 
will always be In good taste. Willow ware Is always 
In perfect taste, and, being heavy, has the added ad- 
vantage of " toughness," which Is a good point. Sup- 
posing then that one decides upon this: 



1 dozen large plates 


2 


covered vegetable 


dishes 


i dozen small plates 


I 


sauce boat 




h dozen bread and butter 


I 


salad bowl 




plates 


I 


cream pitcher 




i dozen cups and saucers 


i 


dozen sauce plates 




2 platters 


i 


dozen soup plates 




2 bowls 









This will be enough of the Willow ware. For des- 
sert or fruit, a half dozen china plates will be needed, 
and half a dozen glass jelly plates as well. For his 

21 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Stocking the Cupboard 

tumblers, he would better have them uniform and may 
have Inexpensive ones of blown glass, or beautiful cut 
glass ones at a wide range in price. If he elects to 
have liquid refreshments, then he will get the correct 
thing in wine, cocktail and lemonade glasses, with the 
beloved steins of his college days answering for such 
beverages as beer, ale and stout. 

Then In addition he will need for his table the usual 
service which would better be of glass — as good as he 
can afford. It is really surprising what pretty and 
good glassware may be bought for a mere song. The 
list includes: 



I vinegar cruet 

I oil cruet 

I water bottle 

I Touraine castor for salt, 

black and red pepper 
I mustard pot and spoon 

1 butter dish 

2 sugar bowls for cut and 
powdered sugar 

I celery tray 
I olive tray 

and the following silver: 

i dozen each forks, knives, 
steel knives, dessert and 
teaspoons 

1 sugar spoon and tongs 

I butter knife 



I glass fruit dish 

I marmalade jar 

I mayonnaise dish 

I bread tray (preferably 
silver) 

1 china tea pot and stand 

I French copper coffee pot 
(expensive but a joy for- 
ever) , 

1 chafing dish and accom- 
panying utensils 

6 c!emi tasses 



I nut cracker, / 
I olive fork 
i dozen oyster forks 
I carving set. 



One may get on nicely with these — and possibly may 
be able to eliminate some from the list. The nut 



22 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Stocking the Cupboard 

cracker is useful for breaking lobster as well as nuts, 
and the picks of course will be included, also fruit 
knives and orange spoons and after-dinner coffee 
spoons, if he can aiford them. With the list as above, 
the bachelor may entertain very nicely on a small scale. 
He may, if he has the time and inclination, pick up 
veritable treasures at old auction rooms and second 
hand shops in solid silver and quaint old china that 
will give his dining service an individuality as strong 
as his pocketbook will stand. 

FOR THE utensils and " articles de cuisine," the fol- 
COOKING lowing list will be found to embrace all 
the things needed for a very small menage: 

I covered agate kettle 2 mixing bowls 

1 tin oven to use over gas i colander 

2 large frying pans 1 chain dish cleaner 

2 small ones 2 covers for frying pans 
1 quart measure 3 kitchen knives 

I flour sifter 9 forks 

asms 2 mixmg spoons 

1 double boiler i measuring spoon 

3 oblong baking tins i graduated measuring cup 

2 small skillets 1 chopping bowl and knife 
I strainer i egg beater 

I toaster i meat board 

I broiler i ladle 

I dish pan ^ i skimmer 

I large tin pan ' i pitcher 

This sounds a lot, but you will be surprised to see 
the small amount of space they take when neatly hung 
on the closet door and placed on the shelf that the 
closet will doubtless contain for their reception. He 

23 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 



Stocking the Cupboard 



must also have a large tin bread box for bread and 
biscuits. A closet fitted with high shelves for the sup- 
plies might have either drawers or low shelves for the 
cooking utensils. Then let the dishes all be kept pro- 
tected from dust in a cabinet with a glass door, which 
may be purchased very reasonably. If that is out of 
the question, surely the handy bachelor may make 
his own china cupboard, and have some fair friend fash- 
ion a curtain for him to hang In front. 

THE Now for the supplies which he must keep 

SUPPLIES on hand. This list Includes, beside the 
necessities In one column, the luxuries in the other. 
These bought, he may bargain for his milk and cream 
to be left at the door and may also arrange for his 
butter and eggs as he wishes. Then the vegetables, 
fruit, meat and fish will be bought as he requires them. 
It is always well to have a few canned things on hand 
in case of emergencies. 



Necessities 
Salt 

Pepper, black and red 
Soup herbs or poultry sea- 
soning 
Mustard 

Sugar, cut and powdered 
Ginger 
Macaroni 
Wheat flour 
Spaghetti 
Indian meal 
Onions 
Cereal — whatever desired 



Biscuits in variety, includ- 
ing sweet biscuits and 
water biscuits, as wished 

Oil 

Vinegar 

Worcestershire sauce 

Tabasco sauce 

Rice 

Laundry soap 

Coffee 

Tea 

Cocoa 

Condensed milk or cream 

Olives 



24 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 



Stocking the Cupboard 



Lard 

Eggs 

Lemons 

Bacon and salt pork in jars 

Tinned soups 

Tinned fish 

Tinned vegetables 

Cheese, American or in jars 
Luxuries 

Pickles 

Curry powder 

Chutney 

Anchovies and Anchovy 
essence 

Kitchen bouquet 

Tarragon vinegar 

Tinned French vegetables 

Tinned or dried mush- 
rooms 

Tinned red peppers 

Marmalade 

Jam 

Potted meats 

Capers 

Caviare 

Celery salt 



Chow chow 

Macedoine in glass 

Mango pickles 

English relishes 

Cooking sherry and white 

wines 
Rum and brandy 
Bottled Mayonnaise 
Noodles 

Parmesan cheese 
Soy 

Tinned Truffles 
Pate de Foie Gras tinned or 

in jars 
Asparagus in glass 
German sausages in jars 
Jellies for use with game 
Foreign cheeses 
Preserved fruits in glass 
Irish bacon 
Virginia ham 
Garlic 
Caramel 
Essences of vanilla, lemon, 

and pistachio 
Cocktail olives and cherries 



The bachelor in an apartment, who has limited 
space and wishes to confine his cookery to a few 
chafing dish dainties, may invest properly in one of the 
handy chafing dish cabinets that are so attractively 
fashioned in mission style with a " place for every- 
thing." Perchance he may also have — and probably 
will — a cabinet in which to keep his bottles, mixing 
glasses, shakers, etc., which is styled appropriately 
enough '' the Bachelor Cabinet." 

25/ 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Stocking the Cupboard 

He may get on nicely with a half dozen plates, his 
steins, some silver knives, forks, and spoons, and possibly 
some small plates for toast, bread, or biscuits. These, 
virlth some small dishes of cut glass for salted almonds, 
olives, celery and such relishes, will be quite sufficient 
for ordinary use. In his cabinet with the chafer he 
should have the alcohol, salt, pepper, mustard, Wor- 
cesterhlre or Harvey sauce, chutney, paprika, bicar- 
bonate of soda, oil and vinegar, and possibly some an- 
chovy essence, which so Improves many chafing dish 
specialties. These, with some saltlnes and a jar of 
potted cheese — unless he desires some of the more per- 
ishable varieties — ^wlll be quite sufficient with the usual 
accompaniments, In case he wants to make a rabbit, an 
English Monkey, a Newburg, or some other simple del- 
icacy for an after-theater supper. The other things 
in the other cabinet — what bachelor needs to be shown 
what to buy? He surely ought to have a few bottles 
of carbonated water and some limes always handy, as 
well as a little imported ginger ale in case he may en- 
tertain a teetotaller. Ginger ale Is not the worst 
beverage In the world with a good rabbit, while lime 
and seltzer Is a refreshing drink at any time In the 
year. 

The poor hall bedroom laddie with his pathetic 
makeshift on the window ledge may not afford such 
an elaborate layout. But for a dollar he may Invest 
either In a little alcohol stove with a quart skillet In 
which to cook his cereal or boil water for his tea, or 

26 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Stocking the Cupboard 

buy a few feet of tubing and a tiny gas stove. One 
bachelor who earned a scanty $15 a week made for 
himself a really attractive cupboard from a tall shoe 
box, perhaps four feet In height and half as wide and 
deep. It was stained, a row of brass headed nails 
driven around the edge, some shelves nicely fitted in, 
a few hooks added and a denim curtain, and in It was 
his whole outfit nicely concealed from inquisitive eyes. 
And he had some feasts too, if they were cooked in a 
ten-penny frying pan on his little gas stove. That 
he made his coffee in a woman's afternoon tea kettle 
with an alcohol lamp was his affair; and It was nectar. 
His tastes were simple, at the same time he had a va- 
riety. In the morning, a cup or two of delicious coffee 
with condensed cream, one or two English muffins 
nicely toasted and buttered, a couple of eggs, fried, 
boiled, or scrambled, as he elected, or perhaps poached 
on a bit of toast, and a bit of fruit, made a splendid 
breakfast for a chap leading a sedentary life. The 
down-town luncheon and dinner were more elaborate, 
and If he wished a bite in the evening when a friend 
dropped in, or he came in late from his weekly night 
at the theatre, there were all sorts of appetizing things 
to be concocted In the tiny frying pan. In which a basin 
was set and surrounded with water In lieu of a chafing 
dish. Finally he bought a double boiler, thus escap- 
ing scalded fingers from too close contact with steam. 

What did he eat? The usual thing culled from a 
cookery book dedicated to the chafing dish — and some 

27 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Stocking the Cupboard 

concoctions of his own, which appear in another chap- 
ter. But no one I ever knew could do up oysters and 
clams and crabs as nicely as he; sea food was his 
specialty, and, living on the coast, he was able to gratify 
this taste, even to the extent of serving on his one 
table for some admiring chap as delicious a Lobster 
Newberg, devilled crab, or oysters panned, California 
pepper — roasted or fried, as ever were tasted. His 
oysters, fried in oil, as Minico Finelli used to do them 
in Philadelphia, were luscious. 

His weekly bill was very small — ^but he never made 
the mistake of buying cheap things and always Insisted 
upon the best of butter, eggs, and whatever else he 
bought. 

" I have generally found that In buying so-called 
* bargains * in edibles," he said, " there is so much 
waste that it invariably pays to buy the best of every- 
thing. The satisfaction of knowing that It is the best 
more than makes up for the few extra pennies spent." 




28 




"Manners are of more importance tlian 
law^s. " — Burke. 

"What is a gentleman? " a young 
debutante naively asked of her uncle, 
a club man and " gentleman of the 
old school." The world-old query 
provoked the following reply from 
the man, who was too wary, how- 
ever, to fall into the pitfall laid for 
him. 

" My dear, I can't tell you in set 
terms. It is a condition of being 
that is no more definable than a 
woman's charms. Either one is or 
isn't a gentleman — that's all." 

" Has birth anything to do with 
it?" 

" It has — and it hasn't. There 
are men of the bluest blood who are 
hopeless bounders and cads, and, on 
the other hand, some of the most per- 

29 



'A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Bachelor Etiquette 

feet gentlemen I have ever met have come of obscure 
origin and plain beginnings. The mere fact of not be- 
ing well-born, however, has never kept a man out of 
a club or society, nor would a long pedigree necessarily 
give the entree. Social affiliations are indispensable^ 
however Inherited or acquired. No one can tell ex- 
actly what makes a gentleman; still, everyone recog- 
nizes one the moment he comes upon the scene." 

" A man's a man for a' that," says Bobby Burns ; 
and after all, it's the little things that count — that go 
to show whether a man is a gentleman or no. One who 
wishes further Information upon this interesting subject 
may do well to read " John Halifax, Gentleman," after 
which he may brush up on etiquette. But all the dic- 
tionaries of etiquette In the world will not make a man 
a gentleman, if he be not kind, brave, and honorable 
in love and business, truthful, loyal, and reverent. 

Someone has said that courtesy is a good Imitation 
of Christianity, since most rules of etiquette are based 
upon unselfishness and a proper regard for the feelings 
of other people. '^ 

Most people have heard of the French king who 
was so well bred that when one of his friends dropped 
a priceless wine glass. Immediately, as though through 
Inadvertence, broke one himself to prove that such a 
mischance, which might happen to anyone, was of no 
special consequence. 

There is, of course, a distinction between good man- 
ners and good form. The one comes to a man through 

30 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Bachelor Etiquette 

innate good breeding, the other is acquired by careful 
study and a close observance of the forms of conduct 
that at the moment are en regie. 

" He is gentil," says Chaucer, " who does gentil 
deeds." And it has been proven that habit is second 
nature. Courtesy, conciliation, kindliness, forbear- 
ance, vi^hich are the essence of politeness, w^ere taught 
by St. Paul, who was the very model of a gen- 
tleman. Society has agreed, here and abroad, upon 
certain conventions which have through countless gen- 
erations resolved themselves into a code — a decalogue 
of good behavior. The present social code in America 
is patterned largely after usages in favor among the 
English upper classes, although occasions may arise in 
which a man is a law unto himself. Daniel Webster 
once said, after a visit in London, " the rule of polite- 
ness there is to be quiet, act naturally, take no airs, and 
make no bustle. This perfect breeding has cost a 
great deal of drill." Bonaparte studied deportment 
with Talma, a great French actor, and his court was 
as carefully drilled in etiquette as was his army in mil- 
itary tactics. 

'' Good manners inspired by good principles, 
prompted by goodfellowship, polished by good form, 
will admit a man to good society anywhere," says Mrs. 
Burton Harrison, who is one of the highest authori- 
ties on etiquette. The cultured manner of to-day is 
simple, cordial, and free from all affectation. 

As it is assumed that the bachelor of to-day is well 

31 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Bachelor Etiquette 

versed in savoir faire, only a few general rules and a 
few miscellaneous hints will be given here as to the 
etiquette of bachelor entertainments. 

The American man, because of the exac- 
tions of business, is permitted to pay calls 
in the evening and on Sunday afternoons. In the 
large cities he may present himself with propriety as 
late as nine in the evening; in the country, half-after 
eight is the limit generally set, while one seldom 
arrives earlier than half-after seven. Sunday after- 
noon calls may not be made earlier than three o'clock. 
In the country, morning calls are often made, and a 
man may always, of course, call on a lady's day at 
home, if he can arrange to do so. A dinner call is a 
matter of paramount importance, and a man must 
also pay a " duty call " after receiving any hospitality, 
within a fortnight of the invitation, whether the invi- 
tation is accepted or not. He must also call upon the 
bride whose cards he has received, directly after she 
returns from the honeymoon. A man who has served 
as pall bearer at a funeral should call upon the be- 
reaved family within three weeks, though this call 
rarely means more than the leaving of a card with a 
kindly inquiry. After a man has paid a duty call, he 
should not call again, unless requested to do so, or 
unless his hostess extends further hospitality to him. 
A man may not take another man friend to call upon 
a lady unless he has first received her permission to 
do so. A man who wishes to make the acquaintance 

32 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Bachelor Etiquette 

of a young lady through a friend must call in com- 
pany of the friend the first time, after which, if she 
wishes to receive him, he may call alone. 

When a woman has been entertained by a bachelor 
at his apartments, she leaves a card for him, accom- 
panied by that of her chaperone. 

In paying calls, a man may take his hat and stick 
into the drawing-room if he prefers, although the serv- 
ant generally takes them In the hall. 

A man who receives callers at his apartments should 
accompany each departing guest to the door, and open 
the door for him; he may with propriety show the 
ladies to their carriages, although this is not obliga- 
tory. 

It is the duty of a man when calling to relieve 
women of empty teacups and to carry refreshments to 
those who are sitting at a distance from the tea-table. 
He must rise from his chair when a woman caller 
enters and when anyone is presented to him. When 
he rises he should stand beside or behind his chair, and 
continue to stand as long as the lady on whose ac- 
count he has risen remains standing. 

A man calling on Sunday afternoon should ask for 
" the ladles " when the mother has extended an Invi- 
tation for him to call. After the first call he may ask 
for " the young ladies," or the particular one for 
whom his visit is Intended. 

A very formal afternoon call should occupy not less 
than fifteen minutes and not more than half an hour. 

33 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Bachelor Etiquette 

On the hostess' (lay at home one may linger an hour 
or longer. 

Concerning business calls, In which a woman calls 
upon a man in his office, he need not offer to shake 
hands unless she be an old friend. Should his time be 
limited or other people be in his private office, he may 
meet her In the public office or even the corridor. He 
must always remove his hat, and if he wishes her to 
be brief, may courteously explain that pressing affairs 
necessitate his immediate attendance. In his office, a 
man rises also when a woman caller rises to leave, 
and if the interview has taken place in his private 
office, convention demands that he open the door for 
her. He need not go beyond the door with her, al- 
though If she is a friend or relative he will doubtless 
wish to see her safely to the elevator. 

A business address should never appear on a visit- 
ing card, although his home address or that of his club 
may appear in the corner, his permanent address ap- 
pearing in the right-hand corner. Not infrequently 
his home address appears In the right-hand corner and 
his favorite club in the corner opposite. 
BACHELOR It is quite the fashion nowadays for the 
HOSPI- well-to-do bachelor, even if he has no near 
TALITIES women relatives to assist him, to entertain 
his women friends In his own apartments, at his club, or 
at a hotel. The city bachelor of to-day Is not a home- 
less man whose life is divided between his house of busi- 
ness and his boarding-house bedroom. If he is pros- 

34 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Bachelor Etiquette 

perous in his profession, he lives in a suite of pretty 
rooms in a studio or in a small suite in bachelor 
apartments, or possibly in a hotel. And even a man of 
average salary may afford a large, tastefully-decorated 
room in which to set up his Lares and Penates, where 
he can entertain in a small way. 

Of course he has some matron to act as chaperone, 
and the easiest and safest form of entertainment is an 
afternoon reception. At this he may repay some of 
the many hospitalities which eligible bachelors always 
receive. 

Just a word from a clever hostess of international 
popularity may not be amiss. Apropos of the prevail- 
ing impression — which is generally correct — that the 
unmarried man is so persistently certain that he is wel- 
come everywhere, and that when he lunches or dines 
at a house he confers a favor, this grande dame says: 
" The bachelor is the most ungrateful of guests, as a 
rule. He will accept my invitation, lunch or dine at 
my house three or four times in a week all the year 
round, and still continue to speak of those who lib- 
erally entertain him as a mere acquaintance unless they 
happen to be more than usually prominent — and then 
reward them with nothing better than a picture post- 
card at Christmas ! " 

Possibly this woman's indignation may be well- 
founded — for it is a fact that bachelors are in such 
demand that they come to realize their own social im- 
portance perhaps better than their hostesses do. A 

35 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Bachelor Etiquette 

man of tact may express his appreciation of continued 
courtesies and entertainments by sending an occa- 
sional gift, such as a book, or some roses, or even 
matinee or concert tickets for his hostess and her daugh- 
ters or some friend whom she may be entertaining. 




36 



CHAPTER V 

rrtJ 

''''Give me a lodge in some vast wilder- 
ness. " 




Life in camp, from the Atlantic to 
the Pacific, in the mountains and by 
the sea or inland lakes and rivers, has 
a peculiar charm, not the least of 
which is found in the camp cookery. 
Epicures whose palates are tired of 
entrees and game in city restaurants, 
who fret and fume if their planked 
steak is not to their liking, or if the 
after-dinner coffee has not the de- 
sired soupgon of chicory, will eat like 
lumbermen when fed upon camp ra- 
tions, with never a word save of 
praise for the camp cook. Possibly it's 
a matter of environment ; for Mother 
Nature has a way of soothing tired 
nerves and of tickling jaded palates 
to such an extent that the hum- 



37 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Around the Camp Fire 

blest fare is fit for a king, and the muddiest camp 
coffee nectar to the tired, hungry man just in from 
a day's fishing or hunting in the wilds. 

Most men who camp do not need to be told the 
little things that combine to make camping comfort- 
able: how to dig a trench around the tent and how to 
make a stone fireplace or a stove from rocks and an old 
stove-top; or how to shave off fir boughs for a hard 
but fragrant bed. 

They all know that a deep hole should be dug some 
distance from camp in which to throw refuse and 
debris, covering it daily with fresh earth, which so 
quickly kills all odors. They know the staple rations 
to be taken — prepared flour for griddle-cakes and hot 
bread, with rising already in it; salt pork, smoked ham 
and bacon, dried beef, salt fish in case the fresh ones 
fail to bite; pilot-bread, crackers, and biscuit of all 
sorts, potatoes, beans, onions, canned fruit and vege- 
tables where fresh cannot be obtained; Indian meal, 
salt, sugar, pepper, mustard, molasses, vinegar, butter, 
tea, coffee, chocolate — powdered and sweet — rice, oat- 
meal, baking soda, ginger, spice, soap, paraffin candles, 
matches, and kerosene oil. These and such luxuries 
as milord demands compass the culinary needs. 

But lest he forget — and It's so easy to do that In the 
excitement of going into camp — a list of other necessi- 
ties may not come amiss, and it Includes tin kettles 
with covers, spiders with covers, coffee and tea pots 
with lips instead of spouts, gridiron, pans, basins, tin 

38 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Around the Camp Fire 

cups, pails, milk cans, knives, forks, spoons, lanterns, 
bags (paper and "gunny" sacks), strings, thread, 
needles, matches, shovel, axe and hatchet, hammer, 
tacks and nails, sticking plaster, Jamaica ginger, towels 
and bath towels, dishpan, dish towels and cloth, pins, 
mosquito netting, oil of pennyroyal if in fly season, 
plenty of old newspapers, fishing tackle, guns, ammuni- 
tion, and last of all, extra stockings and flannel gar- 
ments. If flannel is worn, one should never take cold 
even after a thorough soaking ; but of cotton and linen, 
for use in camp or on ranch, beware ! Parties scorning 
the idea of bothering with all these things when rough- 
ing-it will find camp life quite rough enough, even with 
the things provided that are mentioned in the list. 
The need of a match or a pin or string can never be 
realized until one has had to do without them in camp 
or on the water. 

Every man who cooks shines at his best when in 
camp or being chef in the open. The guides in the 
Rangeleys can cook a trout to perfection, while the 
half-breeds of Canadian jungles could show a New 
York chef a thing or two about cooking a partridge. A 
cowboy out on a round-up can concoct as toothsome a 
stew or " Mulligan " as was ever served up as ragout in 
a Broadway restaurant or French " Bouillon '* kitchen. 
A lonely prospector can show one a little about broil- 
ing bacon and frying flap-jacks, and when it comes to 
broiling a beefsteak or grilling a chop, a New York 
club man is generally a past master at the art, espe- 

39 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Around the Camp Fire 

cially If he is a member of the famous Beefsteak Club. 
And when a New Yorker gets into camp and wants to 
do the cooking — let him; he knows. 

THE in camp cooking, broiled fish, or roast 

VALUE OF birds, has been demonstrated long since 
BASTING by famous Maine guides. Billy Soule, for 
instance, broils his trout before a clear, brisk fire, with 
thin strips of bacon or salt pork fastened with tooth- 
picks so that the fat trying out will run continually 
down over the fish, basting It as it broils. In roasting 
a bird, pieces of bacon or pork are skewered on in the 
same fashion. 

A NOTED who h^ been fishing the streams In the 
BOSTON vicinity of Colebrook, N. H., for several 
BON years, tells of a camp dinner cooked by hlm- 

^^^ self and comrades which Is really worthy 
of repetition. " One of the boys," he says, " went 
down to a farmhouse near the river at noon, after a 
morning's fishing, and for a quarter bought a dozen 
eggs and a couple of quarts of potatoes with a handful 
of salt thrown In. We made a hot fire, and let It die 
down. Then one of us cleaned and washed the trout, 
and after wrapping them In several thicknesses of 
green leaves, coated them on the outside with mud. 
We also coated each egg thickly with mud, making 
them look like giant wasps' nests. After the fire 
had died down sufficiently we laid the fish and eggs 
in the ashes, also the potatoes, covering them well 
with the hot ashes. This done, we then built another 

40 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Around the Camp Fire 

hot fire over the original one. When the edibles were 
done, we raked them out with sticks, and stripping off 
the outside layer of mud from the fish, the charred 
leaves and skin came off with It, leaving a delicious, 
perfectly-cooked, salmon pink or white meat. The 
mud was cracked off the eggs and they tasted like the 
hard-boiled variety. And as for the potatoes, they 
were quite good enough, even with salt as the only 
seasoning. The meal was fit for an epicure — and best 
of all, there were no dishes to wash." 

FOR A in autumn, when the deer has not been 

CAMP sighted, or the grouse prove too nimble 

DINNER £qj. amateur hunters, a camp dinner like 
the following one may be relished and put the men 
on their mettle for the coming sport: 

Hard-boll as many eggs as there are to be guests — 
and then as many more as they agree to eat. Boll 
potatoes until nearly done, then drain them dry and 
slice Into a skillet in which thin slices of bacon are 
crisping. In another dish shred a little salt cod, cover 
with boiling water, and cook until the fish is tender 
and the water has evaporated. Add a cup of sweet 
cream to this — and if near a farm this is worth tramp- 
ing after. Then when the potatoes are browning 
nicely, turn the fish and cream over them and add a 
little pepper. The eggs should be put in cold water 
when done, and peeled. The salt of fish and bacon 
will be sufficient for seasoning. To serve, pile the 
potato mixture on a large hot platter and surround 

41 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Around the Camp Fire 

with the eggs. This is called a " Shaker " dinner — 
but it's good anywhere. Evaporated or condensed 
cream may be used instead of fresh cream. The Bor- 
den brand is best, as it is less sweet than most others. 

ROASTED In camp, birds, either small or large, are 
BIRDS commonly roasted, broiled, or stewed. 

Pick all the feathers off, cut a slit and draw them. 
Wash and wipe carefully with a towel. If for roast- 
ing, tie the legs together and place in the pan, dredging 
with flour. Cover the bottom of the pan with water. 
Grouse and partridge require about thirty minutes and 
most wild ducks the same, notwithstanding the epi- 
cures protest that they should have but from twelve to 
fourteen minutes. Small birds will require only about 
half that time, but the oven must be very hot. Maine 
guides who cook partridges in their feathers know that 
it is the only real way to do them at their best. The 
bird is opened and drawn in the usual manner; then it 
is covered with wet clay and buried in hot coals and 
cooked for forty minutes. Draw from the coals and 
peel off the clay, and with it will come feathers and 
skin. Most men prefer them to the regulation roast- 
ing — and where an oven is not obtainable, it is the 
best method. 

BROILED are split and cleaned, wiped dry, and 
BIRDS broiled either on a wire broiler or forked 

stick over the clear coals, from a wood fire. Ten or 
fifteen minutes is generally sufficient for this. 

42 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Around the Camp Fire 

TO STEW grouse, or wild pigeons, place the birds in 
PAR- a small kettle and dredge with salt, pep- 

TRIDGE pgj.^ flour, and, if liked, mace and cloves, to 
give a true epicurean touch. After simmering two 
hours, thicken with three spoonfuls of flour and stir in 
two spoonfuls of tomato catsup. Simmer an hour 
longer, and serve. 

AN OLD Here is an old camper's recipe for cooking 
CAMPER'S partridge and grouse, and it can't be beaten. 
RECIPE Q^^ ^p ^j^g birds as for a fricassee. Fry 
them in a frying-pan In butter or salt pork fat until 
brown, dredging with flour, salt, and pepper. This 
makes them a delicious golden brown. When tender, 
take out the pieces and put them on a platter on pieces 
of toast. Then turn into the brown fat a cup of sweet 
cream, stir quickly, and when it crinkles with scalding, 
turn over the platter of meat. 

A for birds, when broiled. Is made by putting 

GOOD a large spoonful of butter in £. frying-pan, 

SAUCE When It has melted, add a tablespoonful of 
flour and stir until brown, then add a cup of boiling 
water, salt and pepper to taste. 

BROOK Does a rule for cooking brook trout seem 
TROUT amiss here? Of course almost every bach- 
elor knows how, or ninety and nine In an hundred. But 
for the hundredth man, here goes: Split the trout nearly 
to the tall to clean, leaving heads off or on, as preferred. 
Wash and drain, wipe, and dip In a mixture of 

43 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Around the Camp Fire 

half flour and half Indian meal and a little salt. 
For a dozen good-sized trout, fry six slices of salt 
pork. When brown, take out the pork and put in 
the trout and fry, first on one side, then on 
the other, until a golden brown. Serve the pork 
with them. Smelts may be cooked in the same 
fashion. 

SALMON should be split down the back, when large 
TROUT enough, cleaned, wiped, and rubbed with 
oil or butter, then broiled over clear coals. When 
small, cook the same as brook trout. 
SALT Sometimes, even in camp, there are times 

FISH of a morning when, for some special rea- 

son, a piece of salt fish would taste good. Cut from 
the thickest part of the fish squares of desired size. 
Remove skin, wash, and broil over clear coals ten 
minutes, then dip in boiling water, butter, and serve. 
Excellent in " that cold gray dawn," don't you 
know. 

FRYING " Spoff " Flint was a famous guide on the 
SALT Magalloway River who used to fry salt 

PORK pQj-j^ [^ batter, when he had milk to do it 

with. A batter was made with a cup of flour to a cup 
of milk, to which was added a little salt and a beaten 
egg. Fry some thin slices of pork slightly, then dip in 
the batter and fry In pork fat to which two spoonfuls 
of drippings or lard have been added. With potatoes 
roasted in the hot ashes that is fit for any King that 
ever sat a throne. 

44 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Around the Camp Fire 

BEEF- smothered in onions is a good camp dish — 

STEAK and venison or bear steak may be cooked 
In the same manner by way of variety. Fry brown 
four slices of salt pork; when brown take out the pork 
and slice in thinly six good sized onions. Fry about 
ten minutes, stirring all the while, then take out all 
save a thin layer. On this lay the sliced steak, then 
a layer of onions, then steak, and cover thick with 
onions. Dredge each layer with salt, pepper, and 
flour. Pour over this a cupful of boiling water 
and cover tight. Simmer over a hot fire half an 
hour. 

FOR wash a quart of dry pea beans — the Call- 

BOSTON fornias are best. Put in a pan with six 
BAKED quarts of cold water and let them soak 
BEANS Qygj. night. In the morning wash again 
and put them on the fire with cold water and a pinch 
of baking soda. When the skins begin to crinkle drain 
off the water and put in the bean-pot. Have a gener- 
ous piece of salt pork, gashed through the rind, and 
put it on top of the beans with two tablespoonfuls of 
molasses, one each of salt and pepper, and a pinch of 
mustard, and cover with boiling water. An onion 
may be added if desired. Bake ten hours, either in 
the oven or in the ground. If the latter, dig a hole 
large enough for the pot, which should be surrounded 
with hot stones. Then cover and build a hot fire 
over them. They should be watched carefully, and 
if they become dry, pour in more water. 

45 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Around the Camp Fire 

CORN Somehow, corn dodgers seem particularly 

DODGERS to belong to camp fare. Take three tea- 
cups of Indian meal, one teaspoonful of salt, one table- 
spoonful of sugar, and pour on enough boiling water 
to wet it — nearly one quart. Then make into small 
flat cakes, about one inch thick, and fry in boiling fat 
until golden brown. They will fry in fifteen or 
twenty minutes. 

FRIED Would you fancy some fried mush in camp 

MUSH with the game? Well, then, into two 

quarts of boiling water stir a tablespoonful of salt and 
one cup of flour mixed with a quart of Indian meal, or 
more, if needed to make stiif enough. Beat it well to 
remove lumps and bo'il gently two hours, and then 
turn into deep bread tins to cool. In the morning 
slice ofE thick slices and fry golden brown in salt 
pork fat, serving slices of pork with it, and syrup, if 
desired. 

FOR which are made with the prepared flour, 

/ SPIDER mix one pint flour with half a pint of milk 
LAKES Qj- water. Have the griddle smoking hot, 

and grease with a piece of pork or bacon rind, then 
pour half the mixture into it. Smooth with a spoon 
and cook four minutes, or until the top forms minute 
bubbles. Then turn the cake and cook four minutes 
longer. Take up, grease the pan again, and cook the 
balance. If preferred, the batter can be fried in small 
cakes instead of two large ones. 

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A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Around the Camp Fire 

GINGER- Every camp cook should know how to make 
BREAD gingerbread. Somehow, nothing else in 
the cake line seems to fill the bill like hot gingerbread. 
To make it, take a cup of molasses, one teaspoonful of 
saleratus, one of ginger, a tablespoonful of butter or 
lard, and, if lard is used, a pinch of salt. Stir to- 
gether and then pour over half a cup of boiling water 
and a pint of sifted flour. Bake about one inch deep 
on a tin sheet in a quick oven. 

WILD It is well to remember that wild ducks 

DUCKS that have a fishy odor may be improved by 
rubbing the breast lightly with a slice of onion and 
putting into the bird, when cooking, half a dozen raw 
cranberries. The mountain cranberries may be used 
instead of the Cape berries. A handful of the small 
mountain variety will be sufficient. 

TO Cut the tenderloins of a buck that has been 

COOK properly hung for at least five days, into 

VENISON pieces an inch thick and two inches in di- 
ameter. Skewer these on a small willow stick, with 
pieces of bacon judiciously strung along the line. 
Sprinkle the whole with finely-chopped onion, red pep- 
per and salt, and roast over the coals. Do not hesitate 
to make this a full yard of lusciousness, for the morsels 
will melt in the mouth, and one seems never to have 
enough. Some men affirm that the deer's liver is the 
greatest delicacy, and indeed it is, when properly 
cooked with salt pork; and if there is any left over, 

47 



A 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 



Around the Camp Fire 



which is quite unlikely, just try making liver hash 
with the chopped liver, cold boiled potatoes chopped 
fine, and a suspicion of onion. Cook the whole to- 
gether in salt pork or bacon fat. 

If you are in camp during sweet corn time, 
after you have become tired of boiled corn 
and roasted ears, try baked corn and beans 
in your Saturday night meal. Prepare a 
pot of Boston baked beans in the usual way. About 
half an hour before serving time, have plenty of the 
corn cut from the cob, and, removing the pork, stir the 
cut corn well into the beans and cook half an hour 
longer. This is delicious — and will bear repetition. 



BAKED 
CORN 
AND 
BEANS 




48 




CHAPTER 

rnrr 

*'A man tatK often more trouble to 
get food than to digest it." 

Who has said that " the carving 
knife is mightier than the sword " ? 
But in spite of that fact, how few 
there are in proportion to the number 
of diners out who know how to 
wield it! 

" There is no sight more delight- 
ful," says May Irwin, " than to see a 
man caive at table. The dexterous 
grace with which the expert carver 
slices oflE a bit of breast from a bird 
or disjoints a fowl makes me hold 
my breath in admiration and awe." 

Truly, a carver, like a poet, is born, 
not made ; yet any man with practice 
may acquire this somewhat difficult 
art, and it is an accomplishment that 
every man should enjoy, for he never 
knows where or when he may be 

49 



. r-f-mmmmmmMmmmmmmfmfmmmmmmmmmmmmmm* 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Carving and Game 

called upon to do the honors. It Is quite the fashion 
now for women to learn carving, and at the cooking 
schools there is special instruction given ladies in the art. 
But for men, who are deprived of such instruction, the 
best school is experience, which coupled with an oc- 
casional judicious tip to a head waiter, who is supposed 
to be a past grand master of carving, should make him 
sufficiently dexterous In a short time to negotiate a 
joint without sending it into the lap of his vis-a-vis or 
splashing the festive board with brown gravy. 

First, the carver should learn to gauge his cuts to a 
nicety. He must measure satisfactorily the appetites 
of those whom he serves, and not judge them by his 
own. This judgment, coupled with a sharp knife and 
trusty steel and a measure of confidence In his ability 
to wield both. Is all that Is necessary. 

FISH, IS difficult to serve nicely. In carving a 

IF BOILED cod, halibut, lake trout, or other large fish 
that are served whole. It Is best to make 
one cut from the head to the tall down to 
the bone, and then cut slices across from this line to 
the sides. As codfish is apt to break Into flakes, care 
should be taken In serving from the fish knife not to 
spill the flakes on their way to the plate. In carving 
salmon, draw the fish knife across the center of the 
fish down to the bone from head to tail. Then 
cut slices from the center, and add to each a 
small slice of the thin part which Is not quite so 

50 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Carving and Game 

pronounced In flavor. A sole of ordinary size may be 
divided, like Gaul, into three parts. A small sole is 
cut across in half, and a very large sole, like those 
served au gratiuj is generally cut in slices like a salmon, 
and the slices lifted on each side, thus avoiding the 
small bones that edge each side of the fish. 

GROUSE Thin slices should be first cut off the breast, 
AND after w^hich the wrings and legs are re- 

PHEASANT j^Q^g j^ In cutting off a wing the carver 
should also try to get a strip of the breast (though a 
thin one) to attach to it. 

DUCK A great deal depends, in carving a duck, 

upon its size and fatness. A large, fat duck, with 
plenty of meat on the breast, is carved like a goose. 
Thin slices are cut off its breast, and then the duck is 
turned endways toward the carver, the wings nearest 
and the legs farthest from him. Remove the wings, 
leaving a thin strip of breast attached to each. This 
requires considerable dexterity. Next remove the legs 
and afterward the neck bone. The whole breast-bone 
is now separated from the rest by cutting through the 
sides, when the backbone can easily be divided In two 
by pressing downwards. A small quantity of the stuf- 
fing should be served with each portion. 
FOWL A wag who was a guest at a dinner where 

the host, an ostentatious man, allowed the fowl to get 
cold while expatiating upon the beauty of the gildings 
of frame and sconce in his newly decorated dining-room, 

51 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Carving and Game 

said impatiently, *' Never mind your gilding — give us a 
taste of your carving! " Boiled and roasted fowls are 
carved alike. Care should be taken to cut off plenty of 
the white meat of the breast with the wings, the knife 
being slowly drawn and downward pressure avoided, 
as the boiled white flesh is apt to crumble. The front 
end of the fowl should be toward the carver. Insert 
the fork in the leg with the knife underneath in re- 
moving the leg and thigh, and then raise the leg away 
from the remainder of the bird. The leg adheres only 
by a piece of skin, so this is simple. The thigh bone 
will now leave the socket, and with very little assistance 
from the knife the leg will be set free. The neckbone 
is next removed, and then the breast separated from the 
carcass by cutting the thin rib bones through on either 
side. The liver, wing, and breast are esteemed the 
choicest parts in America, and everyone who has trav- 
eled in Europe is familiar with the extra charge for 
a portion of fowl with which a wing is served. 

QUAIL, are best carved by being cut in half right 

PAR- through the breast and back, cutting down 

TRIDGE close to the breast-bone. Each half is suf- 
AND r ' .11 ... 

PTCFONS hcient, with the accompanymg toast, cress, 
and jelly, for a portion. 

TURKEY In carving these, endeavor to obtain as 
AND many slices as possible from the breast. 

GUOSE This also obtains in carving a domestic 
duck. Cut off the meat close to the breast bone down 

52 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Carving and Game 

to the wing bone. When the thigh Is eaten hot, the 
drumstick can be separated from the thigh and the 
meat on the thigh cut off. But when not wanted, it 
is better removed whole. 

SIRLOIN " Ply me, try me, prove ere you deny me! " 
OF BEEF sang Apollo. If a sirloin is properly 
roasted there may be a portion served to the liking of 
each guest from the crisp brown top of the roast to the 
blood-rare, juicy center for the epicure. A sirloin 
may be divided in two parts, the under-cut of fillet and 
the top or rump. It is usual to carve the under-cut 
first and not to begin on the upper part until the other 
cut is finished, for the reason that the joint presents a 
far better appearance when sent to the table cold. 
Often the under-cut is sufficient to dine a small com- 
pany — say four or five; then the remainder is served 
cold, and, nicely garnished, makes a handsome luncheon 
dish. The under-cut is carved in rather thick slices 
down to the bone. The top or upper-cut is carved in 
thin slices, and care should be taken to keep it straight 
and not to cut out the tender part in the middle. 

A LEG OF is best carved by cutting slices parallel with 
MUTTON the bone, which gives it the appearance of 
a haunch, and is practically the same thing. 

SADDLE should be carved in thin slices on either 
OF side of the center bone. Have the relays 

MUTTON Qf j^Q^ gravy served separately, as this joint 
cools quickly. Plates should be very hot. 

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Carving and Game 

FORE- Separate the shoulder from the other part 

QUARTER by cutting round its outer edge. Place the 
OF LAMB shoulder on another dish and separate the 
ribs from the brisket. The shoulder is rarely cut when 
hot, as most people prefer the other portions. 

HAM "Ob all de meat dat's fit ter eat, f'm 

turkey down to ham," ham is the most difficult to carve 
nicely. It should be cut In slices as thin as a wafer 
and from the extreme end of the knuckle, thus grad- 
ually cutting into the meat and leaving the knuckle 
bone bare. 

TONGUE Cut the tongue in half, and then cut thin 
slices ofE each half. A little fat should be cut from 
the root of the tongue and served with each slice of lean. 
A word as to the etiquette of carving will not be 
amiss — and this is it : Do not talk to the carver. For he 
is like the motorman and should not have his attention 
distracted from the very important business in hand. 

"RABBITS, except in soup stock," says Sir John Bailey, 
" ought never to appear on a gentleman's table. But 
If it must be served, let It be whole, and treat It as 
Apollo did Midas — let its ears be apparent." Theo- 
dore Hook was a famous carver, and when with his 
intimates he frequented some country Inn outside Lon- 
don he was In the habit of acting as his own caterer 
and selecting from the poulterers and butchers what-> 
ever he desired. The " Eel Pie House," Twickenham, 
the '' Green Man," Blackheath, and the " Anglers " on/ 

54 ^ 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Carving and Game 

the Thames, with the famous " Star and Garter," Kew 
Bridge, were some of his frequent haunts, and the free- 
dom of the kitchen was always his. 

A late royal duke whose talents and knowledge were 
world-famous once exclaimed aloud at the large house 
party of a fellow-nobleman fn Worcestershire, " Take 
this away ! it's a very bad help." This must have been 
mortifying to the carver, but he doubtless deserved it, 
for some carvers destroy everything that falls under 
their careless, clumsy hands; they never think of 
" diving for green fat, sounding for cod sound, divid- 
ing the fin ajid liver in equal portions, and they will 
serve woodcock and snipe without trail, turkey without 
stuffing, and plover without toast." 

Every bachelor epicure knows that steel is detrimen- 
tal to the delicate flavor of fish, and should Insist upon 
being given a silver fish knife for serving it. 




55 




CHAPTER 



VII 



*' W^itH sucli cooking, a monkey miglit 
eat kis own fatter." 

ESCA- Don't ask me what that 
BECHE means — I won't tell. But 
try it for your fish course some time, 
when the mercury goes up into the 
eighties, and if a better name occurs 
to you, you're at liberty to use it. 
Parboil two pounds of halibut, 
schrod, or any firm white fish. Cut 
in fillets and place in a salad bowl. 
Mix in a small bowl a tablespoonful 
of vinegar, three of olive oil, salt, 
cayenne, bits of orange peel cut thin 
as thin can be, a teaspoonful of onion 
juice, a sliced green pepper, and, if 
you have them handy, a bay leaf and 
a sprig of thyme to give an added 
bouquet. Mix well, pour over the 
fillets, garnish with sliced orange, 
and pop into the ice box to await the 
serving. 

57 



fedUKv 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Snacks of Sea Food 

FISH These two particular sauces were invented 

SAUCES especially for bachelors, and they're quite 
new. For chile sauce, one must mash to a paste a clove 
of garlic, finely minced, and two red peppers which 
have been softened in boiling water and rubbed through 
a sieve. Add a bit of the water, salt, and one table- 
spoonful of vinegar. In the blazer have sizzling hot a 
cupful of olive oil and stir the pepper pulp into this. 
Whatever fish you elect to have, cut in fillets and cook, 
closely covered, in this sauce. For the other, which 
we will call after Pittsburg Phil, take a cupful each of 
tomatoes, onions, and green peppers from which the 
seeds have been removed. Scald and skin the toma- 
toes, and skin the peppers by blistering on a hot stove. 
Chop all together, adding salt and enough olive oil to 
moisten. .This is not to be despised as an accompani- 
ment to cold beef, although it is perhaps at its best 
with fish. Try it on Barracuda, Spanish mackerel, 
Ouananiche, or even the plebeian cod, and report the 
result in your Sunday newspaper's Woman's Page. 

SARDINES would make a man bow down before a 
A L'INDI- Hindu god. This is how M. Mooker- 
ENNE jgg Qf Calcutta serves them to his Eng- 

lish friends. Into the chafer put a pat of but- 
ter and stir in the yolks of four beaten eggs, 
salt and cayenne to taste, and a teaspoonful of 
chutney. When it forms a smooth paste, mash with 
it some trimmed sardines from which the oil has been 

58 



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Snacks of Sea Food 

bones removed, after which it Is parboiled In salt water. 
It Is then cut In pieces about an Inch square. Equal 
quantities of leeks, celery, and green peppers finely 
chopped are sauted In butter till tender, then the pieces 
of fish and two sliced boiled potatoes are added and the 
whole covered with cream. Salt and white pepper are 
used for seasoning, and It all bolls together. If a 
little cream sauce Is at hand. It may be thickened with 
that. If not, the beaten yolk of an egg stirred In 
Improves It and thickens It slightly. Finish with small 
dots of butter and a sprinkle of chopped parsley. 

HERRING Speaking of fish, did you ever eat a savory 
OMELETTE herring omelette ? It's a specialty of the 
Manhattan Club of New York. Skin and bone one 
fat smoked bloater herring and cut In thin pieces. 
Place In a saucepan with a tablespoonful of butter, 
paprika, chives, and parsley. Stew slowly and add a 
quarter-cup thick cream and four egg yolks; then take 
off the stove. Beat the four egg whites stiff and mix 
all together, then shuffle and fold as an omelette In a 
buttered pan, place In a hot oven three minutes, and 
then serve. 

A UNION would not go badly on a yachting trip or 
GRILL for a hot bite after the theater. It Is sim- 

plicity itself, and this Is how It Is done: Clean a pint 
of oysters and drain off all the liquor possible. Put 
the oysters In the chafing dish, and as the liquor flows 
from them remove with a spoon and so continue until 

6i 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Snacks of Sea Food 

the oysters are very plump. Sprinkle with salt and 
pepper and serve on whatever biscuit you fancy. And 
don't forget to add two tablespoonfuls of melted butter 
when seasoning them. 

THORN- The Thorndike Hotel In Boston has an 
DIKE oyster recipe Invented by Its chef which is 

OYSTERS really a delicacy. Two tablespoonfuls of 
butter are melted In the chafer, and a pint of oysters, 
drained of the liquor, Is added to cook until plump 
to bursting point. Then over them is poured a quar- 
ter-cup of thin cream and two egg yolks are stirred in 
to thicken it. With salt, black and cayenne pepper, 
and a slight grating of nutmeg, the trick is done, and 
zephyrettes on hot plates are brought on for the 
serving. 

CLAMS Who pleads guilty to Clams a la Rialto? 
A LA William Faversham or Francis Wilson? 

RIALTO Upon my word, I can't remember, but don't 
let either say he hasn't received proper credit, and here 
goes: Chop fine three dozen little neck clams. Put a 
tablespoonful of butter in the chafing-dish, add the 
clams with their juice and season them with a teaspoon 
of minced chives, two teaspoons of chopped parsley, and 
a little pepper. After boiling about five minutes add 
one tablespoon of walnut catsup and then stir in soft 
bread crumbs to absorb the liquor, add another table- 
spoon of butter, and serve very hot. This is war- 
ranted to make any leading lady sweet tempered, even 

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Snacks of Sea Food 

after falling to find her name In foot-high letters on 
the billboards. 

LOBSTERS It was a benedict from New Orleans who 
WITH first told me about lobster with mushrooms. 

MUbrt- jjg ^^g ^ hopeless bachelor when a girl 

ROOMS 1 . . • 1 1 . . 1 . r 1. 

who mitiated him into the mysteries of this 

luscious bonne bouchee promised to forsake spinsterhood 
for him — and all because she could cook. So if you are 
anxious to be won, just give this recipe to the only 
girl, and see what follows. A quart of finely-cut lob- 
ster meat is the first requisite. To follow, have a cup 
of sweet cream, a sweet green pepper with seeds re- 
moved and the pulp finely minced, a teaspoon of 
minced onion, a ripe tomato peeled, quartered, and 
sliced, and a pint of large, fresh mushrooms peeled and 
cut up small. Put in the chafing dish a tablespoonful 
of butter and add the pepper and onion and cook two or 
three minutes over a brisk flame. Add tomato and mush- 
rooms and toss about until the mushrooms are dark and 
tender. Then turn in the cream, and when hot add the 
lobster. Season to taste with salt, and when as hot 
as can be serve up on toast. The same lady bakes 
mushrooms, the large campestris, gills up, in a baking 
dish. The up-turned cups are filled with butter and 
a slight sprinkling of salt and pepper is added before 
the baking dish is tightly covered. After baking about 
ten minutes there should be plenty of juice to form the 
finest possible sauce for the mushrooms. 

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Snacks of Sea Food 

SHRIMPS finishes a trio of recipes from the Bayou. 
A LA Melt one-half tablespoon of butter with the 

CREOLE same quantity of lard In a stewpan, then 
add a tablespoon of brown flour and stir until smooth. 
A dozen large shrimps boiled and shelled and a large 
chopped onion are fried for five minutes, after which 
a cup of chopped tomatoes, thyme, and parsley to taste 
are added and the whole Is simmered half an hour. 
Then come three chopped green peppers, salt and cay- 
enne, and a half-hour more of cooking. The Orlean 
serves the dainty with plenty of nicely cooked rice, and 
it is a dish fit for the King of the Carnival. 

AN A young pathologist, whose name is equally 

OYSTER well known in Boston and Berlin, is quite 
SPECIALTY ^g (Jevoted to his chafing dish as he is to 
his laboratory, and he has generally something quite 
recherche to offer his guests when they drop Into his 
rooms for an evening. One of his oyster specialties 
is enjoying fame in his own circle at present — and small 
wonder. For It Is a toothsome morsel for a little sup- 
per. If ever there was one. How is it done? Listen: 
Butter the size of two eggs is melted In a dish and into 
this Is poured a quart of oysters and their liquor. By 
way of seasoning he combines paprika, salt, pepper, and 
a dash of Tabasco. This Is stirred well into the mix- 
ture and the flame left high under the chafer. About 
three tablespoonfuls of thinly sliced celery Is then 
added, and when It is tender and the oysters are bub- 
bling hotly, two tablespoonfuls of sherry and the juice 

64 



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Snacks of Sea Food 

of half a lemon are added. Cook then about ten min- 
utes, and if it is to be especially appetizing, half a pint 
of rich coffee cream is stirred in. If this be heated first 
ft will be better, as the sherry and hot oysters are apt 
to curdle the cold cream. Serve on hot toast or slices 
of brown bread and drink with it just what you seem 
to crave- at the moment — supposing, of course, that a 
cocktail has preceded. And, by the way, Rhine wine 
and seltzer doesn't go half badly with this particular 
dish, although of course if you prefer beer I've nothing 
to say. 

SHAD When the shad is smiling in the market 

ROE place, the festive bachelor bethinks himself 

of the succulent roe. For four people a pair of shad roe 
— if they be large — ^will be sufficient. Scald them in the 
hot water pan with a pint of hot water, a gill of vine- 
gar, a bit of mace, and some lemon peel, not forgetting 
three peppercorns for the final touch of mystery. Boil 
fifteen minutes, then spread with butter blended with 
chopped parsley and the juice of a lemon. 

" The gentleman who dines the latest 
Is in our street esteemed the greatest; 
But surely greater than them all, 
Is he who never dines at all." 

OYSTER a la Sir John Bayley: "Bruise one small 
TOAST anchovy fine and take two dozen oysters 
and cast off their beards. Chop the oysters fine with a 
silver knife and put with the anchovy in the chafing 
dish. Mix both together with sufficient cream to give 

65 



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Snacks of Sea Food 



it a pleasing consistency. Heat well, stirring all the 
time. Have ready some buttered toast, and serve the 
hot oysters on these rounds. Eat in solemn silence, and 
wash down with brown sherry." 

Sir John, by the way, stipulates always that the din- 
ner hour be adhered to with military exactness. It is 
related of Cambaceres that Napoleon kept his dinner 
waiting half an hour, and in despair he sent for his 
cook and in true military phraseology exclaimed, 
'' Henri ! Save the entremets! The entrees are anni- 
hilated ! " The late Dr. Kitchener, who prided him- 
self upon his punctuality, had written over his side- 
board the motto, " Come at seven, go at eleven." 
Theodore Hook, who always liked the wee sma' hours 
best, added the word " it " to the above, and great was 
the doctor's surprise when he found that by alteration 
the notice advised his guests to " go it at eleven." To 
this might be added the advice of Baillie Nicol Jarvie; 
" Don't accept a man's hospitality and abuse the scoun- 
drel behind his back." 





CHAPTER 

trrr 

*' Ckeese is but a peevist elf— 
It digests all except itself." 

Cheese is one of the most valuable 
of foods, and contains, in one pound, 
as much nutriment as is contained in 
two pounds of beef. In its raw state 
it is rather difficult of digestion to 
some, but this it somewhat overcome 
by cooking. A small amount of bi- 
carbonate of soda should always be 
added to cooked cheese. In the face 
of this, it seems strange that cheese 
should be eaten to aid digestion, but 
a small portion of very rich cheese 
eaten after a hearty dinner aids that 
function wonderfully. 

The various popular brands of 
cheese take their names from the 
places where they are made. Many 
foreign cheeses are now so well imi- 
tated in this country as to render im- 

67 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

A Chat on Cheese 

portation unnecessary. For many years the Neufchatel 
cheese has been made here, and Is really quite as good 
as the original French cheese, while there is made in 
Connecticut alone a very large quantity of so-called 
" Camembert cheese " which supplies the leading mar- 
kets of the large cities of America. 

The favorite skim-milk cheeses are Edam, Gruyere, 
and Parmesan, v Holland is the home of the Edam, 
which is generally served here in its hard or ripened 
condition. But in Holland the usual breakfast served 
the traveler includes, besides the delicious cocoa or 
coffee, rolls, thick slices of plum bread, and great pieces 
of fresh Edam cheese, which is a dark golden color, 
and melts in one's mouth. The Gruyere is Swiss 
and the Parmesan an Italian cheese, the latter princi- 
pally used for grating over macaroni and served in this 
form with soups and on dishes au gratin. 

The favorite milk cheeses are the Gloucester, Che- 
shire, Cheddar, and Gorgonzola — the first three Eng- 
lish and the latter Italian. The milk and cream 
cheeses include Stilton and Double Gloucester from 
England, the favorite Young America and New York 
Dairy of " the States," and the Canadian Cream 
Cheese from the Eastern Townships of Canada. 
Cream cheese Includes Brie, Neufchatel, and Camem- 
bert, which are the popular varieties served in America. 
Anyone who has lived in Paris, however, has doubtless 
acquired a taste for the Port de Salut, the Pont 
I'Eveque, both similar to Brie, but with a more pun- 
gent flavor, and the luscious little Coeur Creme cheeses 

68 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

A Chat on Cheese 

which, with the Fromage d'Isigny and the Gervais 
Creme, are served with Bar le Due currants or goose- 
berries, or with various comfitures and compotes of 
fruit. 

The Schweitzer Kase, or Swiss Cheese, is another 
favorite, but the love of Limburger is generally con- 
fined to Teutons, most Americans disliking the odor 
cordially. Perhaps the most popular cheese to-day is 
the Roquefort, which is ripened in dark caves in France 
and allowed to mold until ripe. There is a fashion of 
loading a Roquefort cheese with brandy, which not only 
preserves it, but gives it an incomparable flavor. The 
various potted cheeses, like MacLaren's and the Cana- 
dian Club, are put up in jars with brandy and retain 
their delicacy of flavor indefinitely if kept in a cool place. 

Pineapple cheese is similar to Edam and seldom pre- 
ferred, while Sap Sago is a well-known competitor. 
The gourd-shaped Italian cheeses are so strong that 
few care for them, although when grated over a dish 
of spaghetti they are not to be despised. The cheese 
from Switzerland made from goat's milk and the Nor- 
wegian cheese of reindeer milk seldom find their way 
to this country, where the " full cream country cheese " 
made by the farmers' wives is far-famed. 

Who has not eaten the luscious " Cottage Cheese," 
" Dutch Cheese," or " Schmier Kase," made from sour 
milk and worked smooth with sweet cream? This is 
sold in some dairies in the cities, nicely wrapped in 
five-cent packages, and is sometimes improved by the 
addition of chopped sage, parsley, or chives. 

69 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

A Chat on Cheese 

The correct cheese to order after a dinner depends 
entirely upon the preceding courses and the taste of 
the diners-out. While English people often take a 
bit of Gorgonzola or ripe Stilton, Americans gener- 
ally order Roquefort, Camembert, or Brie, and Ameri- 
can cheese is generally relegated to the noon luncheon 
as an accompaniment to the inevitable American tri- 
angle of pie. A French dinner usually terminates 
with a bit of cream cheese and a confiture, unless a bit 
of Roquefort is taken with the cognac and coflEee. 

CHEESE. At some dinners, a canape, in which cheese 
CANAPE forms a part, is frequently served, the Ca- 
nape Lorenzo of cheese and crab meat, which originated 
at Delmonico's, being world-famed. An ordinary 
cheese canape is made by browning a circular piece of 
bread in butter and spreading with French mustard, 
then with a layer of grated cheese seasoned with salt 
and cayenne. This is set in a hot oven and baked 
until the cheese is melted. 

CHEESE run the gamut from Schweitzer Kase in 
SAND- rye bread with German mustard down to 

NVICHES ^ dainty affair served at afternoon teas or 
receptions, which is made of a slice of brown bread and 
a slice of white bread, between which is a filling made 
from minced green peppers, English walnuts, and olives, 
blended with Neufchatel cheese and softened with 
mayonnaise. Grated Gruyere cheese mixed with 
chopped walnut meats seasoned with cayenne is a 

70 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

A Chat on Cheese 

favorite English sandwich, while fresh whole wheat 
bread with slices of American cream cheese and English 
mustard is " not to be sneezed at." 

" Cheese and bread make the cheek red." — German, 

Cheese, like tobacco, is at last being dignified with 
literature of its own. The daily papers are cartooiiing 
the " Cheshire Cheese," that delightful old inn in 
the " Dreams of a Welsh Rabbit," and, if you please, \ 
Wine Office Court off Fleet Street in London, where / 
Dr. Johnson ate toasted cheese and pudding and drank^ 
his musty ale, has published an interesting history of 
this, the most perfect old tavern existing in London, 
its title being " The Book of the Cheese." Goldsmith, 
who lived nearby, used to sit there with Dr. Johnson, 
and there are many souvenirs shown of the two famous 
litterateurs. 

And the cheese? Was there ever anything to com- 
pare with the toasted cheese one has there? It's an 
idealized sort of rabbit, served up in little square tins 
on slices of toast and brought in sizzling and set before 
one on the rough board bench with a mug of musty 
or a pitcher of ale and porter mixed and frothing over 
deliciously. The secret of the toasted cheese is, like 
that of the pudding, jealously guarded, and it is said 
that but one man in London ever knows at one time 
just how the trick is done. But it's a morsel that is 
well worth crossing the Atlantic for, provided one isn't 
satisfied with his own chafing dish cheese stunts. 

71 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

A Chat on Cheese 

Why is not cheese used more, I wonder? It is 
nutritious, and, eaten properly, aids in digesting a 
dinner. If one always drinks plenty of good old ale 
or beer with his rabbit and includes in its ingredients 
a pinch of soda there's no reason, unless there's a 
chronic indigestion to contend with, why a rabbit need 
not digest as easily as a new-laid egg. 

In foreign countries cheese is as staple an article of 
diet as bread. One reads of the husky English laborer 
with his pail of beer and mid-day tiffin of bread and 
cheese. The German considers no luncheon complete 
without his Schweitzer Kase or Schmier Kase, while 
the Swiss goat-milk cheese, the Norwegian reindeer- 
milk cheese, the Italian cheese, and the hundred and 
one variety of French cheeses are equally famous staple 
articles of diet. 

AN APPE« Take equal parts of MacLaren's Roque- 
TIZER fort cheese and sweet dairy butter and melt 

in the hot water pan, using a very low flame. When 
of cream-like consistency add cayenne and Worcester- 
shire sauce to taste, stirring until it foams. Crisp 
crackers and the beer that made Milwaukee famous 
complete a trio of famous palate-ticklers. 
FROMAGE ^ Gruyere cheese appetizer is a favorite 
A LA with the students of Geneva and Lausanne. 

FLORIAN Florian Robert brought the recipe into his 
ROBERT coterie at the Sorbonne, and in the little 
apartment on the Boul' Miche* a few congenial souls 
occasionally gather of an evening and wash down with 

72 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

A Chat on Cheese 

"Bock" this dainty: Melt In a copper saucepan over 
the charcoal brazier — a chafing-dish will be used 
over here — a quarter-pound of grated Griiyere cheese 
with a teaspoonful of butter, some chopped onion and 
parsley, a cup of chicken broth — or half a can of 
chicken soup strained — salt, pepper, and a suspicion of 
nutmeg. When well blended, add four well-beaten 
eggs, and after stirring until It looks just good enough 
to eat, serve on triangles of toasted bread, 

FONDUE A delicate fondue au fromage may be 
AU quickly made — of the sort that one serves 

FROMAGE yj{i\^ ginger ale or Apollinaris lemonade. 
Melt with a piece of butter the size of two chestnuts 
(I'm tired of saying " a walnut ") in the blazer, a half- 
pound of broken or grated cheese, and stir until melted. 
Add a cupful of thin cream, a bit of salt, and a sprink- 
ling of pepper. Serve on any biscuit or toast you fancy 
— but try toast made from Boston brown bread If you 
want a distinct novelty to connect two continents. 
QUEEN Would not a recipe from Victoria the 
VIC- 'Good be acceptable to the loyal John 

TORIA'S Bull? Then let It be toasted cheese from 

TOASTED ^j^g Royal Lodge at Windsor, which Is 
CHEESE . . 

done in this fashion: Grate half a pound 

of cheese very fine, and add three tablespoonfuls of ale 

and a small glass of champagne. Mix well in a silver 

dish over the hot water pan for ten minutes and serve 

on toast. It's almost as good — not quite — as that 

served at " Ye Cheshire Cheese." 

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:A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

A Chat on Cheese 

ONION I have no time to waste In the idle discus- 
^-'^^^'^ slon of whether it's Rarebit or Rabbit. If 
you must know, consult the Encyclopaedia Brittanica 
while two large Spanish onions are boiling in the hot 
water pan. When they are soft, your mind will be 
at rest, and you will chop the onions and put them in 
the blazer together with a small piece of butter, milk, 
salt, cayenne, as much Tabasco as you like, a teaspoon- 
ful of made mustard, and a half-cupful of grated cheese. 
It should be very " short," and, with a steinful of 
Wurtzburger, It will be so delectable that when it's 
gone you'll doubtless bless me for telling you how to 
do It — then make another. 

FRIED These odorous but wholesome vegetables 

ONIONS take on a new savor when friend in this fash- 
WITH ion : Fry a quarter-pound or salt pork until 

CHEESE quite brown, then remove from the pan. 
Slice a quart of onions Into the fat, adding a little salt 
and pepper and half a cupful of water. Cover the pan 
and cook the onions until a light brown, then cut Into 
dice three-quarters of a pound of good cheese and add 
to the onions about five minutes before serving. Allow 
them to simmer slowly, and do not break up the cheese 
in frying. This comes from Pierre Lavlgne, a promi- 
nent young artist in Paris, who says he learned it of 
peasants In the valley of the Loire. 

OYSTER A deviation from the time-worn rabbit Is 
RABBIT an Oyster Rabbit a la Frank Harris, which 
cannot fail to tickle some palates. Clean and remove 

74 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

A Chat on Cheese 

the hard muscles from half a pint of oysters and let 
them heat until their edges curl in a chafer with some 
of their own liquor, finally removing to a hot bowl. 
Then put in the blazer one tablespoonful butter, one- 
half pound cheese broken in small bits, one saltspoon 
each of salt and mustard, and a few grains of cayenne, 
with a suspicion of bicarbonate of soda, if desired. 
While the cheese is melting, beat two eggs slightly, 
adding them to the oyster liquor and pouring gradually 
in the melted cheese. Add the oysters, cook a moment, 
and serve up on hot toast or crackers. 

A "BED- Herman Oelrichs occasionally created a 
SPREAD '' bonne bouchee^ and this, which he called 
FOR TWO j^jg " bedspread for two," is another oyster 
concoction that is worthy of the name. Stir six eggs 
together in a soup plate, and in another plate cut up 
a dozen medium, Blue Points moderately fine. Rub 
the bottom of the blazer with anchovy paste, put in a 
good-sized piece of butter, and proceed to do the eggs 
into a creamy scramble. Just as they are turning, 
throw in the oysters and stir until well blended and 
cooked through, then serve on toast lightly spread with 
some of the anchovy paste. 

SARDINE Will you brave insomnia and indigestion? 
RABBIT Then listen: Have some sardines broiled 
and placed on squares of buttered toast, then make in 
the chafer a thin rabbit, using milk in lieu of ale, and 
a dash of Tabasco. Stir in one direction, adding 

75 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 



A Chat on Cheese 



cream, and when the consistency of " cold molasses " 
pour over the broiled sardines. 

CHILELY A gay bachelor from 'Frisco who Is too 
modest to give his name taught me this trick with 
cheese — New York Dairy. Break In pieces a quarter- 
pound of It and rub to a paste with a tablespoonful of 
butter, a teaspoonful of made mustard, two tablespoon- 
fuls of thick cream, a dash of Tabasco, and some cay- 
enne. Stir until nearly melted In the hot water pan, 
and then stir In quickly this sauce which has been cook- 
ing in another chafer: Scald and skin three tomatoes 
of medium size; add one small white onion and one 
bell pepper with seeds removed and chopped fine, and 
cook ten minutes over a hot fire. Pour off super- 
fluous tomato juice before adding to the cheese. Mix 
thoroughly, and If " Bock Is In season," then you'll 
need no passport to the Land of Delight. 




76 



^^^^ 



^^^ 



CHAPTER IX 

" One Devil Drives out Anotker " 

Deviling is a particular form of 
cookery that was doubtless devised 
by some inventive bachelor; at all 
events, *' devils " are beloved by epi- 
cures the world over. What New 
Yorker does not remember with joy 
the famous " devils " procurable only 
in their glory at " Jack's " ? There is 
a subtlety in Jack's concoctions that 
makes the chefs at Sherry's, Delmon- 
ico's, Rector's, and Martin's throw 
up their hands in the face of his in- 
comparable mixture. The '' devils " 
of more than one London club, 
but particularly the Junior Carlton 
and the Army and Navy, are famed 
the world over, while even the 
Somerset Club in Boston by no 
means lags behind in the preparation 
of deviled kidneys. 

77 





A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Devils and Grills 

The distinction between deviling and grilling? 
Well, grills need not be deviled, but devils MUST be 
grilled. The proper dressing of a good devil is one 
of its chief requisites. It must be pungently spiced, 
hot to the taste, cooked in a sizzling fry-pan, and served 
smoking hot. Kidneys and chops are especially well 
adapted to deviling, but anything in the tinned meat 
line, and sausages also, are Improved by the dressing, 
while rare slices of roast beef and mutton and all sorts 
of game may be made tempting as well. 

JACK'S is jealously guarded, but Walter Mac- 
RECIPE Queen of the famous " Broiler Club " gives 
one that is so like it as to be its twin brother. (Are 
sauces masculine? This one should be, at any rate.) 
Stir in the chafing dish enough olive oil to flood the 
bottom, a spoonful of mustard, half a teaspoonful of 
paprika, a little salt and some black pepper. When 
thoroughly blended, pop in the kidneys or whatever is 
to be deviled, and if an added zest is required, throw in 
a few olives and heat thoroughly. A bit of toast or a 
crusty end off a French loaf and a glass of musty ale 
add just the proper touch to this Satanic morsel. 

INDIAN Admiral Ross of the English navy handed 

DEVIL down to posterity a recipe for " Indian 

MIXTURE Devil Mixture " that is not to be ignored. 
This is it: 

Four tablespoonfuls of cold gravy, one of chutney 
paste, one of ketchup, one of vinegar, two teaspoon- 

78 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Devils and Grills 

fuls of made mustard, two of salt and two of butter. 
Mix these all thoroughly in a soup plate, then heat in 
the chafer. 

DEVILED is a favorite dish in the menage of a New 
DUCK York bachelor, who always makes it the 

piece de resistance of his meal. The skin having been 
removed from a cold roast duck and the bird cut in 
pieces of a convenient size, he proceeds as follows: 
The livers are mashed with a spoonful of dry mustard, 
a teaspoonful of salt, two tablespoonfuls of lemon juice 
and a dash of cayenne, to a smooth paste in the blazer, 
in which two tablespoonfuls of butter have been melt- 
ing. The same amount of water is added, and finally, 
a gill of good old Madeira. When this is smoking hot, 
the pieces of duck are added and left to simmer until 
smoking hot, too. 

"A says an English bachelor whose suppers at 

DEVILED his Jermyn Street chambers are famous 
KIDNEY, feasts, " is the most delicious morsel ever 
enjoyed by an epicure." Sheep's kidneys of course are 
used, and split in half with the skin and white mem- 
brane removed. Put two ounces of butter in a sauce- 
pan, and when hot throw in the kidneys, dust with 
salt and pepper and cook quickly. Throw over them a 
tablespoonful of onion juice, tablespoonful of Wor- 
cestershire sauce and four tablespoonfuls of sherry. 
Have your plates hot and the ale tankards brimming. 
With a bit of bread and some ripe old Stilton to fol- 
low, these make a supper fit for a saint or sinner. 

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A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Devils and Grills 

DEVILED requires a different treatment. For this, a 
LOBSTER dash of curry powder Is stirred into a paste 
with some dry mustard, salt, black pepper and olive 
oil. Spread over the pieces of lobster, then lay them In 
a dish and In an ounce of melted butter; cook ten 
minutes if fresh — and no epicure ever w^ants canned 
lobster. 

A FASHION left-over slices of cold meat that prevails 
OF in a bachelor household not far from 

DEVILING Washington Square In New York, Is this: 
The slices are carefully trimmed, then, if cut thick, are 
scored with a knife. French mustard, pepper, salt, and 
cayenne are mixed with soft butter to make a paste, 
then rubbed in the scored slices and grilled. 

GRILLED are also popular at this studio, and are done 
SARDINES by first draining the sardines from oil and 
removing the skins by rubbing them off. A tablespoon- 
ful of butter is heated In the chafing dish, and the 
sardines are laid In this and heated thoroughly before 
serving on toast or crackers. Toasted Uneeda biscuit 
make a delightful accompaniment to these. If deviled 
sardines are wanted, mash the sardines with a silver 
fork and after sauteing In melted butter or a little of 
the oil, a generous quantity of tomato ketchup is added, 
with a dash of tabasco, if wanted very hot, and the other 
usual seasoning of salt, pepper, etc. A few drops of 
lemon juice furnish the final touch, as the mixture is 
served piping hot on toasted crackers. 

80 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Devils and Grills 

DEVILED makes a fine morsel for a snack or even 
LIVER for a sandwich filling. Take three pounds 

of uncooked liver and chop together with a quarter 
pound of salt pork. Mix well w^ith it half a pint of 
bread crumbs, three tablespoonfuls of salt, a teaspoon- 
ful of pepper, half a teaspoonful of cayenne, and half 
a teaspoonful of mace and cloves. Put in a covered 
dish and set in a kettle of cold water. Cover the 
kettle and place on the fire to boil two hours. When 
done, let the steam escape by removing the cover before 
setting. 

DEVILED speaking warmly, are not half bad and de- 
EGGS serve to be better known. Put a large 

spoonful of butter in the blazer and stir into it half a 
teaspoonful of dry mustard, two tablespoonfuls of to- 
mato sauce, one of mushroom and one of Worcester- 
shire sauce. When hot, put in four hard boiled eggs, 
nicely quartered, salted and peppered. When heating, 
make some toast, spread with butter and anchovy paste, 
and serve the eggs on this and see if it isn't " just the 
mustard." 

One more bachelor, who remains modestly incognito, 
gives herewith, his famous rule for deviled bones, to 
wit: 

DEVILED Melt in a chafer two tablespoonfuls of but- 
BONES ter, add I tablespoon each of Chili sauce, 
Worcestershire sauce. Walnut catsup, i tablespoonful 
made mustard and a dash of cayenne. Take the drum- 
sticks, second joints, and wings of a cooked chicken and 

8i 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Devils and Grills 

cut small gashes In each piece. Sprinkle with salt and 
pepper, dredge with flour and cook in the ceasoned but- 
ter until well browned. Then add half a cup of hot 
stock in which the chicken was cooked, simmer five 
minutes and sprinkle wlth^ chopped parsley the last 
thing before serving. 

DEVILED as cooked In a famous San Francisco restau- 
CRABS rant, the Techau Tavern, will appeal to 
most people strongly. Two tablespoon fuls of flour was 
braided into two tablespoonfuls of melted butter and 
two-thirds of a cup of white stock was added to make 
a sauce, into which was stirred smoothly the yolks of 
two eggs, two tablespoonfuls of sherry, salt and pepper, 
one-fourth cup finely chopped mushrooms, and a cup 
of chopped crab meat. After cooking this three 
minutes, a teaspoonful of finely chopped parsley was 
sifted over. The mixture was then cooled and the crab 
shells, which had been washed and trimmed, were 
brushed with melted butter, filled with the crab meat 
and sprinkled with stale bread crumbs that had been 
mixed with a little melted butter. Then the shells 
were popped Into a hot oven and baked a golden brown, 
after having scored the tops In three creases with a 
case knife. 

" Fresh pork and new wine kill a man before his time." 

BROILED If ever you've lived In the land of " hog 
PORK and hominy," you won't despise a dish of 

CUTLETS << fresh po'k " to set before your guests. 
Ever try this? Cut two pounds of fresh pork loin Into 

82 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Devils and Grills 

flat pieces of a portion each. In a deep dish, make a 
marinade of a tablespoonful or more of vinegar, a little 
chopped tarragon, if you're an epicure, a clove of 
chopped garlic and a chopped green pepper (seeds re- 
moved). Lay the pork in this for two hours, then broil 
and serve on hills of mashed potato. This was used in 
the South " befo' de wah," and I reckon you-all '11 
relish it some cold night when the wind is whistling 
round the corners. 

CREOLE Even a bachelor may tire of a porterhouse 
GRILLADES occasionally and sigh for a change. Then 
is the time for him to test the Grillades, which they do 
this way in New Oleans: Cut a thick steak — tender- 
loin will do — into pieces about four inches square. 
Pour a little olive oil over each piece and let stand a 
few minutes, then broil over hot coals if you have them, 
otherwise under a fine hot gas flame just enough to 
sear the outside. Then place in a baking pan, sprinkle 
with one chopped onion, one green pepper, a table- 
spoonful of tomato sauce, juice of a lemon and a 
quarter cupful of oil. Cover closely and when brown, 
turn. Add a bit of hot water to the gravy, boil up and 
serve. 

HOT Suppose youVe just seen a Bernard Shaw 

BIRDS play; isn't that an excuse for something to 

follow, a bit out of the ordinary? Well, while the 
champagne is nicely cooling in its nest of shaved ice, 
you will let one of your guests read Shaw's " On 
Going to Church " to the others while you are cutting 

83 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Devils and Grills 

up three or four pigeons in four pieces each and mari- 
nating them in a half cup of olive oil for ten minutes. 
Drain the oil into the blazer and vuhile *' Jeems " is 
laying the plates — I take it you're not an impecunious 
bachelor — you are chopping an onion, a clove of garlic, 
a green pepper and some parsley. Fry in the oil until 
transparent, then add the pieces of pigeon and sear 
them all over. This is preliminary. Next get out the 
nice brown French casserole and put all of this in it 
together v^^ith a can of tomatoes, salt, paprika and 
cayenne to taste, a tablespoonful of finely minced salt 
pork, half a cupful of sliced olives, and a can of bouil- 
lon or a pint of good stock. Cover tightly and sim- 
mer an hour; it takes time, but it's v^^orth the waiting. 
Five minutes before serving, moisten a tablespoon of 
browned flour with a little of the gravy, stir in and 
when it thickens it's ready. Pass with this, grated 
Parmesan cheese, or, if you're sure they all care for 
it, sprinkle over the casserole while it's on the fire. It's 
as red as Shaw's whiskers and as fine as " Candida," 
while it will disappear almost as quickly as did *' Mrs. 
Warren's Profession.'* 





*' New dishes beget new appetites." 

San Francisco was a city of restau- 
rants — the most wonderful restau- 
rants In all America. With the 
passing of the old city one shudders 
to think of the fate of ZInkand's, the 
Techau Tavern with Its sweet-voiced 
Haw^alian singers and sadly beautiful 
native music, Talt's mammoth un- 
derground palace, the Palace of Art 
with Its wonderful collection of 
paintings. Including a Rosa Bonheur, 
the new and the old " Poodle Dog " 
— the latter one of the show places of 
the Coast. Then there w^as the 
newly opened Oyster Grotto, where 
nothing but shellfish. Including the 
delectable California crabs, was 
served. There was the Italian cafe 
of one Coppa on Montgomery Street 
that had been decorated by the fa- 

85 




A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Mexican and Creole Cooking 

mous San Franciscan artists and where writers, mu- 
sicians, and painters met to drink Chianti and eat 
spaghetti, ravioli, and frittura, and through their smoke 
wreaths admire the wonderfully suggestive frescoes re- 
calling Gelett Burgess and his " goops," Jack London, 
and other celebrities whose names were lettered upon 
the border together with those of " Maisie," " Isabel," 
" Murger," " Verlaine," and other good Bohemians 
who know how to live — and to die. The restaurants 
of Chinatown passed by, there was that of one Matias 
in the Telegraph Hill region which was unique of all 
eating places in the West. For it was a Mexican res- 
taurant over which Matias, an Austrian, presided 
proudly, and served his few patrons in the two clean, 
shabby little rooms that smelled of garlic and were 
decorated with colored prints all the way from Spain, 
showing glorious bull fights in every stage from a hand- 
some, lone matador, calmly awaiting the onslaught of 
Taurus, to the gory finish with rivers of blood; and 
from without, coming through the open windows, all 
the clattering tongues of Italian and Greek, Mexican 
and Portuguese, denizens of the " Barbary Coast." 

In the little alcove kitchen in the rear of the first 
room stood Matias's wife, a handsome, liquid-eyed 
Mexican woman of thirty, busily cooking the " Albun- 
digos," " Tamales," stirring the " Chili con carne," 
and rolling the " Enchiladas " for the Senor who sat 
in the next room drinking of the heavy, puckery Mexi- 
can wine. 

86 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Mexican and Creole Cooking 

With the second course of delicious fish, with a sauce 
even hotter than the soup, Matias brought the register, 
or guest book, which reminds one of a similar one at 
the " Cheshire Cheese " in London. Filled with au- 
tographs of famous people and drawings by artists and 
verse by poets and pen pictures by descriptive writers, 
it was a worthy tome, and interested one for more than 
an hour's time. 

The delicious enchiladas which form a part of every 
Mexican dinner are simply tortillas or corn cakes 
rolled over like a German pancake and filled with 
grated cheese and sliced onion with chili sauce poured 
over it, and a soupQon of garlic grated on top. It is 
impossible to make tortillas as they are made in Mexico, 
as the corn is not made into meal there, but is rubbed 
between stones into a soft, pulpy mass — but I have 
eaten some very good ones made by a San Francisco 
artist in his studio on Russian Hill, made like an 
ordinary corn griddle cake with a little wheat flour 
added to prevent brittleness. He fried his onions in a 
little olive oil, then put a spoonful on each enchilada 
and grated some cheese over, rolled it deftly, and 
poured over it the chili sauce, which as everyone knows 
is made from tomatoes and hot Mexican peppers. 

The same artist gave to me some of his choicest 
Mexican recipes which had been given him in a burst 
of generosity by Madame Matias. Chili chicken is 
not the least delectable of these, and is made so- 
f ashion : 

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A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Mexican and Creole Cooking 

CHILI Boil a chicken until tender, let cool, and 

CHICKEN chop fine. Wash and dry a cup of rice, put 
It into a pot which contains equal portions of melted lard 
and butter and fry a few moments, then add chopped 
tomatoes, onions, salt, and some chili powder, which can 
be bought at any purveyor's. When this is well 
blended and the rice has swelled, add the chicken and 
some of the broth in which it has been boiled. 

HOT I wonder if any of you have ever eaten a 

TAMALE fresh hot tamale, and if you have ever 
essayed the canned substitutes offered occasionally on 
buffet cars of the vintage of Armour or the Libby can- 
ning factories? There's just the difference between 
a new-laid egg and a very bad one — ^with all due 
respect to the canners, who certainly do their best 
to turn out the real Mexican article. But a fresh 
tamale with the corn husks smoking hot can only be 
prepared properly by a Mexican woman — so I will 
not attempt to tell you how they are done. They can 
be had in their perfection in the City of Mexico, and 
from there on up the coast to Portland, Oregon, where 
they are very good indeed. 

By way of a change, some day when you are having 
chicken or chili con carne, try with it some genuine 

SOPA Boil some rice rather soft, with a trifle 

DE ARROZeach of chili sauce and onion juice or 
chopped onion, and eat it with salt, pepper and butter. 
It will be found a vast improvement over the plain 
boiled " Carolina head." 

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A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Mexican and Creole Cooking 

CHILI RE- is the most delicious of Mexican dainties — 
LLENOS stuffed pepper, to be sure, but savoring 
little of the ordinary hotel product. To some finely- 
chopped boiled beef, one-half that amount, each, of 
chopped raisins and chopped almonds, pecans or wal- 
nuts, is added. The pepper pods are prepared by being 
scraped thin — thinner than usual — and after being 
stuffed with this mixture, the rellenos are fried in egg 
batter in smoking lard and served with or without 
chili sauce, as the fancy dictates. To almost any Mex- 
ican cookery a substantial shaking of chili powder is 
added before the chilis are done. 

There may be many lovers of chili peppers who are 
unable to gratify their taste for the toothsome things. 
To such people, like the ranchman in his desert of 
cacti and sage brush, the canned sweet peppers or 
pimlentos put up in oil are a luxury, and an inexpensive 
one at that, since the cans are but 15 cents in most 
places, and contain enough of the peppers for three or 
four meals. A favorite dish prepared with them in a 
Colorado ranch is called 

POTATOES A half cup of lard is put in the frying pan 
O'BRIEN with some sliced onion and a strip of 
bacon to give the proper flavor. Then some raw pota- 
toes are sliced and cut across very thin, and three or 
four pieces of the canned peppers are also cut in tiny 
pieces. The whole is mixed, and when the lard is 
smoking hot put In the pan with salt, pepper, and a 
dash of chili powder, or " sweet chili pepper," as it 

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A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Mexican and Creole Cooking 

Is labeled. Covered closely with a little hot water 
poured In after they have begun to get tender, they 
should cook for ten minutes, and then chopped with a 
knife and stirred. Care should be taken not to have 
enough lard to make them soggy. Are they good? 
Ask Buffalo Bill. 

Not the worst salad In the world Is made from 
romalne or lettuce with these same peppers sliced In 
strips and a French dressing poured over them. Try 
It and see. 

These " pimiento morrones " are delectable addi- 
tions to almost any salad, and give a dash to a clear 
soup, while as sandwiches with cream cheese and 
graham or wheat bread, they make a delightful bonne 
bouchee. While in camp, add a few to the " Mulli- 
gan," or transform a plebeian beef stew Into a stew 
a la Mexicaine by their use. 

PIMIENTO Boil six large sweet red peppers until ten- 
BISQUE der. Remove skin and seeds and rub 
through a colander with a few spoonfuls of the water In 
which they were boiled. While they are boiling, put a 
half-cup of rice in a double boiler with one and a half 
quarts of white stock or an equal quantity of milk. 
When perfectly soft, rub through a fine sieve and add 
the pepper pulp, a teaspoonful of onion juice, a tea- 
spoonful of salt, and enough Tabasco sauce to make 
very hot. Bring to a boil, then remove from the fire 
and stir In slowly one-half cupful of thick cream into 
which has been blended the yolks of two eggs. The 

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A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Mexican and Creole Cooking 

Pimientos Morrones or canned peppers may be used if 
fresh ones are out of season. Have ready some crou- 
tons — ^you can make them by sauteing tiny cubes of 
bread in olive oil until golden brown — and smack your 
lips over the hottest and most delicious of Mexican 
soups. 

CODFISH Put three tablespoonfuls of Sierra Madre 
MEXICAN oil in the blazer and fry in it for a mo- 
STYLE ment a clove of chopped garlic, then add 

two cupfuls of raw potatoes which have been peeled 
and cut in thin slices, until brown. Then add one 
pound of picked salt codfish — it should have been soaked 
for several hours previous — one can of strained toma- 
toes, a soupgon of marjoram, a cupful of vinegar, and 
the pulp of four luscious red peppers — failing the 
fresh, use Pimiento Morrones — ^which have been 
soaked and rubbed through a sieve. Cook slowly for 
two hours. 

KIDNEYS Suppose that, after this rich soup and ap- 
ALAMEX- petizing fish, one elects to omit the roast 
ICAINE ^j^j substitute an entree. Can he find a 
more tempting morsel than the kidney in Mexican 
style? At all events, let him give the dish the benefit 
of the doubt until it's tried. Now for it: Slice three 
veal kidneys, removing the skin and hard membrane. 
Have in the blazer two tablespoonfuls of lard, and in 
this saute four sliced onions — medium-sized ones — • 
until brown. Then add half a dozen tomatoes sliced 
thickly, six green peppers from which the seeds have 

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A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Mexican and Creole Cooking 

been removed, finely chopped, and four slices of fat 
bacon. Cook five minutes, then add four raw pota- 
toes that have been peeled and cut in thick slices, salt, 
and of course as much Tabasco as your guests 
can stand ; and, lastly, the sliced kidneys and just 
enough water to cover. Stew until the kidneys are 
tender, then take out with a skimmer all the mixture. 
Thicken the liquid remaining with the yolks of six 
hard-boiled eggs rubbed to a paste with a glass of 
sherry and a teaspoonful of Worcestershire sauce. Add 
the whites of the eggs chopped, and, if you want it to 
be extremely local in its flavor, serve some nicely boiled 
rice with it. 

FRI- One must not think of setting this feast 

JOLES before his guests without frijoles. Their 

cooking takes time — ^but one is well repaid. A pint 
of small red Mexican beans will be sufficient. Cover 
with two quarts of water and boll slowly. Drain 
them, cover again with cold water and boll, and then 
again, " three times and out." Then, when the water 
has boiled nearly away, add two large tablespoonfuls of 
lard, one large Spanish onion sliced, the inevitable gar- 
lic clove, two Chili peppers (don't remove the seeds 
unless you want the temperature lowered), and five 
slices of bacon. Simmer slowly on the back of the 
stove all day, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon 
to thicken the gravy. The beans should be partly 
broken when done. Half an hour before serving, pour 
the desired quantity into a Mexican earthenware pot, 

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A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Mexican and Creole Cooking 

pour over a tablespoonful of Sierra Madre oil, and 
simmer until needed. 

SALADE DE This shall be the salad. With the heady 

PIMIENTOS Mexican wine — ^be sure you do not drink 

too much — and the clear strong coffee to 

come after, you will have a feast that should 

live in your recollection many a day. 

Drain the contents of a small can of red peppers. 
After drying in a towel, slice in rings, cut fine an equal 
amount of celery, and mix. Add one teacupful of 
tiny balls made from MacLaren's Imperial cheese, 
which should be rolled in fine cracker crumbs. Rub 
the yolks of two hard-boiled eggs to a paste with the 
oil drained from the peppers. Rub the salad bowl 
with garlic and put in the salad, over which pour a 
good French dressing. Serve on crisp lettuce leaves, 
and then pat yourself on the back over the success of 
your dinner. What liqueur? You know! 

Nowhere else in America is there a cuisine like that 
of New Orleans. The delicate blending of the French 
and Spanish schools with a sublime — it's nothing else — 
touch of negro cookery gives it a particularly unctuous 
flavor, to be compared perhaps to the musical Gumbo 
French spoken by the darkies in the kitchen. 

The salient points of this Creole cookery are the 
artistic manipulation of the onion, which gives to cook- 
ing the same suggestion of diablerie to be found in the 
coquettish smile of a pretty woman — nothing more tan- 
gible — the uses of roux, and the coffee. One who has 

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A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Mexican and Creole Cooking 

tasted New Orleans coffee will give it precedence over 
Turkish, Dutch, or the cafe au lait of La Belle France, 
Nowhere have housewives labored more devotedly 
than in New Orleans, where they have striven for gen- 
erations to preserve their own peculiar cooking, and in 
most households one will be served at every meal with 
at least one dish typical of the Creole cuisine. Among 
the most famous of these plats are a few that will bear 
trying in the bachelor kitchen. And the first is from 
no less talented a lady than Dorothy Dix. Men may 
not altogether approve of her unerring printed judg- 
ment of them, but her oysters are sure to be popular 
with the most critical. 

OYSTERS For each person to be served select half a 

A LA dozen large oysters in the shell and roast 

DOROTHY i-hejn When done, remove the upper shell, 

DIX . ff J 

leaving the oyster in the lower, and serve 

on hot oyster plates. For the accompanying sauce, 

allow for each individual one heaping teaspoon butter, 

which should be melted, juice of one-fourth a lemon, 

a drop of Tabasco, a drop of onion juice, and a pinch 

of salt, with a sprinkling of chopped parsley thrown 

in while blending. Pour sizzling hot over the oysters 

and serve. Some toasted saltines will accompany this, 

and one's favorite brand of imported beer, or perhaps 

a bottle of Scotch ale. 

Have you eaten Creole bisque? Then of course you 

will want to make that for your formal dinner, for it 

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A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Mexican Creole Cooking 

is a delight, and will surely be a success if the follow- 
ing rule is carefully followed. 

CREOLE Half a dozen slices of okra or half a can of 
BISQUE canned okra should be used. If fresh, 
wash and slice. Add half a can of tomatoes, one 
sliced onion, three whole cloves, a finely-chopped 
green pepper, half a teaspoonful each of all- 
spice and salt and a tablespoonful of butter. Cover 
chese Ingredients w^th a quart of cold water and place 
on the fire In an enamel kettle and bring to the boiling 
point. Add more water, If needed, then strain and set 
on the back of the stove where It will not boll. In a 
double boiler heat one pint of milk and thicken with 
a small teaspoon of corn starch blended with a little 
cream and let come to a boll. Then pour the prepared 
soup Into a tureen, stir In a pinch of baking soda to 
prevent curdling, and pour over the cream sauce, stir- 
ring all the while. Stir In croutons of toasted bread 
and serve very hot. 

CREAM This Is another Creole soup that will find 
OF PEA instant favor. Have a can of small French 
SOUP peas, drain and wash carefully. Place in 

a small saucepan, adding a sprig of fresh mint, a little 
onion juice, a pinch of sugar, a dash of cayenne, and 
a generous saltspoonful of salt. Cover with a pint 
of cold water and cook until the peas will easily mash 
and press through a sieve. Return to the fire and grad- 
ually stir in a half-pint of cream and a small cup of 

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A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 
Mexican and Creole Cooking 

milk, and just before It comes to the boiling point add 
a tablespoonful of butter blended to a roux with a tea- 
spoonful of flour. Pulled bread should be served with 
this. 

BOUILLA- is another typical Creole dish — ^but should 
BAISSE be made on the Gulf, where the red snap- 
per Is just from the water, where the redfish is fresh, 
and then only can it be known in perfection. Those 
who live on the Gulf know how to make It — those who 
do not cannot obtain the ingredients In their perfection, 
so I will simply say It's delicious. 




96 




BOS^II BOlICHegS 



CHAPTER XI 

" Every aniinal but one keeps to 
one dist." — The Spectator. 

Every bachelor Is an epicure — or 
thinks he Is. According to time and 
season and environment, the single 
man who has dabbled In cooking at 
all will tell you that he has " the 
best thing ever " — then promptly 
proceeds to " show you," as though 
you were straight from St. Louis. 

Even the New England farmer 
has his specialties, which are apt. In 
summer, to Include a famous dish of 
pepper grass, lettuce, and mustard 
leaves tossed together with salt, pep- 
per, vinegar, and sugar, as a salad 
course; and from "Reuben" up to 
the Marquis de Dion, with his suc- 
culent snails or " Escargots de Bor- 
deaux," he runs the gamut of edibles. 
The cowboy on the Western plains 

97 



^K B^VCHELOR'S CUPBOARD 



Bachelor Bonnes Bouchees 

will show you how to do a " Mulligan " such as was 
never seen on the Emerald Isle, and the student just 
home from Heidelberg will tell you that no German 
restaurant ever serves sauerkraut with such delicious 
brown gravy as he learned to make in Germany — not 
even Tony Faust of St. Louis, who certainly has this 
continent beaten on the food of the Fatherland. The 
American Art Student home on his vacation will deftly 
prepare a Chateaubriand by grilling a thick fillet be- 
tween two slices of rump steak, which contribute their 
juices, but are thrown aside while the fillet is being 
delicately browned over the hot coals before popping 
on the hot platter. 

Among some of these good things collected from 
bachelors — and some benedicts, too — are a few so 
choice that they must be mentioned as a part of the 
stock of the Bachelor's Cupboard. " Tell me what a 
man eats and I'll tell you what he is " is generally a 
pretty good rule to follow, but have you ever tried to 
tell what a man eats by what he is? That is the more 
difficult psychological problem to solve. 

There's David Belasco, for instance. One would 
imagine that the writer of " Zaza " and " DuBarry " 
and all the rest would be something of an epicure, and 
want his dishes highly seasoned. As he affirms, there's 
many a dish with excellent constituents that fails for 
lack of skill in combining them, just as many a good 
play is ruined in the building, though the raw material 
may be excellent. An artistic proportion should be 

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A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Bachelor Bonnes Bouchees 

maintained between ingredients, he says, just as. be- 
tween the characters of a play. His Salmi of Goose is 
his favorite entree, and this is how he has it prepared : 

SALMI Cut the remains of a roast goose in small 

OF oblong pieces, removing the skin and gris- 

uOObE ^jg^ Take the bones and scraps and boil 
them down until the water is reduced to a cup of 
strong stock. Add to this a carrot, a young turnip, a 
tomato, an apple, and a stalk of celery, all cut in dice 
and previously parboiled together for ten minutes. 
Simmer in the gravy until they will go through a vege- 
table press, then put the meat in the stock and cook un- 
til tender. Thicken the stock with browned flour, put 
the goose on some slices of toast, and pour the gravy 
over and surround with the vegetable puree. This is 
guaranteed to please. 

FINNAN Henry Miller selected for his gastronomic 
HADDIE contribution the plebeian finnan haddie; 
but, as he says, its transformation makes it nothing short 
of divine, especially when accompanied by fried green 
peppers. The actor-manager who prepares them does 
them in a chafer with no fuss at all. " For finnan 
haddie," he says, " have the fish thoroughly washed, 
and after standing in cold water about an hour put in 
boiling water for five minutes, then wipe dry. Rub 
butter and lemon juice well into the fiber of the fish, 
then broil over a clear fire for fifteen minutes; or if 
the clear fire is not handy, put in the blazer in some 

99 
LOFC. 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Bachelor Bonnes Bouchees 

butter, with the cover on tight. Serve either with 
hot butter sauce or tartare sauce — although I Incline 
to the former. 

" For the fried green peppers, split them and remove 
the seeds, then lay In salted ice water. When they 
feel crisp, wipe them off with a cloth. Melt some 
butter in the blazer, and when smoking hot fry the 
peppers in it until tender." 

KARTOF- De Wolf Hopper does not hesitate to 
PEL admit that If he were to cook his favorite 

KLOESSE dishes, they would no longer be favorites. 
" There are too many good things to eat," he says, 
" to pick one special dish and label It in preference to 
others." One of his favorite dishes was served to him 
in a German restaurant — " Kartoffel-Kloesse " — like 
American potato dumplings — only different. This is 
how: 

Pare, boil, and mash potatoes and put aside to cool. 
Take three cups of potatoes, one cup of bread, two well- 
beaten eggs, beaten separately, pepper, salt, and the 
inevitable nutmeg to taste, and some chopped parsley 
which has been heated In butter. The bread should 
be prepared as for croutons, and crushed after being 
browned In butter In the oven. Th« mixture should 
be very stiff, then molded Into small balls and dropped 
Into salted water which boils very fast. The water 
should be kept boiling for fifteen minutes, when the 
" Kloesse " should be puffed about twice the original 
size and done through to the center. These will make 
anyone think himself transported to *' Happyland." 

lOO 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 
Bachelor Bonnes B o u c h e e s 

heated with a pinch of soda, set over the flame a mo- 
ment, add a glass of sherry, and serve hot. 
DAVID Hungry men who want something more 
HARUM substantial, just wake up and take notice 
POT while William H. Crane tells how to do 

ROAST ^ David Harum Pot Roast: " Lay a round 
of beef in a deep pot. Add a cup of boiling water and 
two slices of onion, cover closely, and for every pound 
of meat cook ten minutes. Then transfer to a drip- 
ping-pan, rub with butter, dredge with flour, and 
brown in a hot oven. Strain and cool the gravy left 
in the pot, and, after removing the fat, put in a sauce- 
pan seasoned with salt, pepper, and a little kitchen 
bouquet. Thicken with a roux of browned flour and 
butter, boil up once, and serve poured around the 
meat. It's not a bad idea to put some potatoes that 
have been peeled all over around the meat and let 
them cook in the oven, A little good salad, plenty of 
fresh horseradish, and something cold to drink, make 
this an ideal feast for the jaded palate that turns at 
truffles and mocks at mushrooms." 
SCRAM- Raymond Hitchcock transforms himself in 
BLED EGGS the twinkling of an eye from a " Yankee 
AND Consul " into a maitre d'hotel, and his 

CHEESE scrambled eggs and cheese deserve a place 
in the galaxy of stars recipes. He breaks three eggs 
and slips them into the blazer, beats them with a 
generous lump of butter and two tablespoonfuls of 
grated cheese, with salt and pepper to taste. It cooks 

103 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Bachelor Bonnes Bouchees 

five minutes over a brisk flame, and when just the 
right thickness Is poured In a deep hot dish over 
some fried toast, and In three minutes — only the dish 
Is left. 

POMMES It Is possible that Counte BonI de Castellane 
CASTEL- invented the potato which bears his name; 
LANE •£ jjg jj^j^ jjg ought to have proper credit, for 

It Is a mouthful that Is certainly deserving of more 
than mild praise. It Is a potato baked In Its jacket — 
and should be a sizeable one. Then, when It Is done, 
its center Is cut out until it Is something of a shell, but 
with some good, plain potato still clinging to the in- 
side. Into It there is stuffed a " farce " of crayfish, the 
mashed yolks and chopped whites of hard-boiled eggs, 
with plenty of good cream and seasoning. Then the hole 
is closed with a piece of the skin, the potato Is put back 
Into the oven to heat — then served " en surprise.'* 
Imagine the immaculate Count, if you can, preparing 
this legume. More likely Paillard or Frederick gave It 
its cachet by honoring him with Its naming. Count 
Boni is Indeed an epicure of the younger French school, 
which includes Marcel Fouquler, the Due de Morny, 
Santos-Dumont, and, If you please, our own James 
Hazen Hyde, who has nothing less than a " poached 
peach a la James Hazen Hyde " named for him at 
Durand's in Paris. The peach Is poached like an egg — 
and then has kirsch poured over it and ignited. This 
completes Its cooking, and the burnt kirsch really 
makes a most delicious sauce. 

104 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Bachelor Bonnes Bouchees 

QUAILS The Marquis de Massa really does Invent 

A LA dishes. Recently he gave to the world a 

MARQUIS delicious morsel in a piquant dish of quails 
DE MASSA ,1, -lit: 1. r 

that he has wished to bear the name oi a 

Capus. The quails are " poached " in a saucepan, 
which means " completely cooked at slow ebullition," 
together with a good quantity of Muscatel grapes that 
are yet green. When nearly done a finishing touch is 
added in a Madeira wine — only a little, remember — but 
ah! what fascination! 

There is a " school " of latter-day epicures in Paris 
to which the great chefs cater, and the result Is in 
" Lobster Alexander," the " John Osy Zegwoart veal," 
" Poulet a la Dr. Pendergast," the fish vol-au-vent 
Stanhope, and Lowther, Rathbone, Tuck, J. W. 
Mackey, and General Williams eggs — all named by 
one Frederick, the only impressionist chef in Paris, 
whose specialties are sky-blue sauces, purple stuffings, 
and nile-green potages — and the naming of his culi- 
nary masterpieces after favorite customers — the rich 
Parisian wine merchants from Bercy, and the Amer- 
icans. 

SAM- Although sweets have not a large place on 

BAYON bachelor menus, there is one — a Milanalse 
A LA Ml- delicacy which raises the entire meal from 
the dead level of the usual Italian table 
d^hotCj and, as prepared by Caruso and Sgbrilia and 
other Italians with silver voices, enraptures the eater 
quite as much as those mellow high notes. Just try 

105 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Bachelor Bonnes Bouchees 

a " zabajone a la Milanaise," and fancy eating it while 
Enrico sings an Impassioned love song from " II Trova- 
tore " or " Carmen " ! But of course the two don't 
go together, so the average person will have to sample 
either by Itself. Take for six persons five yolks of 
eggs and beat them with a Dover egg beater until they 
are thick, adding for each egg one and one-half tea- 
spoonfuls of powdered sugar. Cook this In a double 
boiler, beating constantly, until the mixture Is light 
and fluffy. Then add drop by drop one half egg-shell 
full of Marsala wine for each two eggs. Serve at 
once in cups or punch glasses. Care should be taken 
not to cook this until It curdles, or to put In too much 
wine. It should be of the consistency of whipped 
cream. 

NORWE- Superintending the building of an irriga- 
GIAN BUT- tlon ditch in the Big Horn Basin of Wyo- 
TERED ming has been a young Norwegian civil 
engineer, one O. J. MIdthun by name, and 
" Mid " for short. " Mid " Is an epicure of the deep- 
est dye, and patrons of the hotel Irma at Cody will not 
forget the sanguinary struggle between the clerk and 
the chef — and all because " Mid " Inaugurated the cus- 
tom of cognac with coffee after dinner In Buffalo Bill's 
big hotel. But this Is digressing, for I was about to 
give " MId's " recipe for buttered eggs as served in 
his Norwegian home at high tea, but which may be 
served as a luncheon dish or a snack after the play. 
Four new-laid eggs are required, and two ounces of 

1 06 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Bachelor Bonnes Bouchees 

butter, a small onion, and chopped parsley. The eggs, 
well beaten, are poured into the blazer, in which the 
butter has been melting, together with chopped onion 
and the parsley, salt, and pepper. Keep stirring one 
way until the mixture is thick, and serve hot — and there 
you have the favorite bonne bouchee from Christiania. 
SAUSAGES When Prince Henry was feted in New 
AND York nothing pleased him more than a 

CELERY breakfast dish of sausages and celery 
which was served him. His Prussian palate was 
tickled so delightfully by this dainty that it is doubt- 
less still being served him on his Highness's royal 
yacht. To do them, prick as many small sausages as 
you think the appetites of your party demand. This 
prevents them from bursting. Put in the blazer and 
cover with a quarter-cup of boiling water, and cook 
until all the water is evaporated. Uncover and brown, 
adding a little butter, or better still, some bacon fat. 
Two or three minutes before they are done add two 
tablespoonfuls of chopped celery and cook just long 
enough to be tender, but not enough to lose the fresh cel- 
ery taste. Serve either on slices of brown bread or toast. 
A SUBLIME Out in the Canadian Rockies, not many 
SAND- miles from Banff the Beautiful, there is a 

wn^n member of the Northwestern Mounted 

Police force, the scion of a titled English family, with a 
house in Belgravia and a superb estate in Cumberland, 
who loves the free, wild life of the hills in the new coun- 
try, and lives it in preference to the hothouse existence 

107 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Bachelor Bonnes Bouchees 

of the London Club and the functions of Park Lane. 
No, I won't tell his name, but many a delicious morsel 
is concocted after his day's ride is over; and after a 
plunge in the hot springs and a gallop home to his 
shanty with his *' bunkie," a handsome six-footer from 
Sheffield, he has his dish of tea, and with it a sublime 
sandwich of his own particular variety, which his 
sister serves on her house-boat at Henley or during the 
shooting season at their Scottish castle. Work as much 
brown sugar as is needed into a bowl of butter until 
the butter has absorbed all that is possible, then flavor 
with old Jamaica rum and nutmeg until it has the 
desired " bouquet." Spread on thin slices of whole 
wheat bread which have been thinly buttered, and make 
into triangular sandwiches. This, with a cup of 
smoking-hot Ceylon tea, would reconcile a man to even 
the " pink " variety of afternoon teas, especially if he 
is allowed a dash of the rum in his teacup. 

SALADE Salad is the one thing on the menu that 
A LA should be considered a penal offence if im- 

DUMAS properly served. This salad was devised by 
Alexandre Dumas, and it has become famous through- 
out two continents : " Put in a salad bowl the yolk 
of a hard-boiled egg; add a tablespoonful of oil and 
make a paste of it; then add a few stalks of chervil 
chopped fine, a teaspoonful each of anchovy and tunny 
paste, a soupgon of French mustard, a small pickled 
cucumber chopped fine, and a little soy. Mix the 
whole well with two tablespoonf uls of white wine vin- 

io8 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Bachelor Bonnes Bouchees 

egar, then add two or three cold potatoes sliced, a few 
slices of beet, some of celeriac and rampion, salt and 
pepper — the Hungarian variety — to taste; toss gently 
with a wooden spoon and fork for twenty minutes; 
then serve. 

SAUCE is a savory addition to a salad. To make 
ALAITAL-it, chop one or two anchovies quite fine 
lENNE ^j^(| j-^jj smoothly in one teaspoonful made 

mustard and a tablespoonful of oil; then add by de- 
grees three more tablespoonfuls of oil, one of garlic 
vinegar, and one of good wine vinegar; stir until 
smooth and creamy and serve in a bowl, to add sep- 
arately to the salad at table. 

D'Albignac of Limousin, who was a favorite in 
London through his skill in mixing salads, made a 
great fortune there through his matchless art. This 
is his 

SAUCE Melt half a pound of butter; strain into 
MAITRE it the juice of one lemon, and add salt, pep- 
D HOTEL pgj.^ cayenne, and parsley to suit the taste. 

SAUCE Put into a dish the yolks of two eggs, a 

TATARE teaspoonful of vinegar, and a little salt. 
Mix this quickly into a cream, then add a teaspoonful of 
mixed mustard, cayenne, and a pinch of parsley. Two 
spoonfuls of oil shouM now be added, drop by drop. 

SAUCE for chops and cutlets. Cut two onions 

ROBERT in small pieces, fry light brown in but- 
ter, dredge a little flour in the pan, and add a tea- 

109 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Bachelor Bonnes Bouchees 

spoonful of vinegar and a little salt and pepper. Let 
boil up, and after stirring half an hour mix in a tea- 
spoonful of mustard and one of anchovy. Stir for a 
few moments before pouring over the chops. 

SAUCE FI- A pint of rich stock, an ounce of brown 
NANCIERE thickening, one glass of Madeira, one glass 
of mushroom ketchup, a pinch of cayenne, and a piece 
of glaze. Boil the stock well up with the thickening, 
then add other condiments. Simmer fifteen minutes 
and add the glaze, straining for use. 

MOCK is a famous dish, and when the real thing 

VENISON is " out of season," a man can generally 
succeed in convincing his friends that he is dodging the 
game warden If he follows this recipe well: Into the 
blazer put a heaping teaspoonful of butter and work 
with a spoon until it creams and foams. Then cut in 
some thick, rare slices from a weli-hung leg of mutton, 
turn In the hot butter once or twice, season with cay- 
enne, two tablespoonfuls of currant jelly, a gill of old 
port, and simmer a few minutes longer. There Is 
nothing better to serve with this than crisp lettuce 
hearts and plain French dressing. 

KIDNEYS How would kidneys and mushrooms go 
AND with a bottle of Dog's Head for a little 

MUSH- snack after the play? Have ready six 
lamb's kidneys, halved and skinned. Half 
a can of French button mushrooms will also be needed. 
Put a tablespoonful of butter Into the blazer and brown 

no 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Bachelor Bonnes Bouchees 

a minced onion In It, then stir In a tablespoonful of flour 
and add half a can of bouillon, stirring carefully and 
not forgetting to add a bay leaf. Next goes in a 
spoonful of kitchen bouquet to give it that brown rich- 
ness, some salt and cayenne, and a bit of chile pepper. 
Throw In the kidneys and mushrooms, and when they 
have heated thoroughly, and the edges of the kidneys 
are dellciously curled — eat them. 

A COM- is a good accompaniment if the palate 
MODORE craves cheese with the ale. Mash up a 
GERRY g-enej-Qus slice of soft, ripe cheese with vln- 
egar, mustard, salt, and pepper until smooth 
paste and spread on toasted crackers of the saltlne 
variety. It has the genuine crab flavor, and is an 
ornament to the Commodore, in truth. 

EGGS This Is the chef d'oeuvre of a Marchese 

A LA who does not disdain to roll back his Im- 

MESSINA maculate cuffs and go into the kitchen — 
for who else could he entrust with his famous bonnes 
boucheesf The recipe has been handed down in the 
house of this Sicilian nobleman for no one dares say 
how many generations. Boil six eggs until hard, then 
remove the shells. Roll them in flour, then in a beaten 
egg to which has been added one-half teaspoonful of 
oil and the same of vinegar, a few drops of onion juice, 
a dash of grated nutmeg, salt and pepper, and chopped 
parsley. When quite well covered, roll again in ver- 
micelli broken Into fine bits, and put in the frying bas- 

III 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Bachelor Bonnes Bouchees 

ket and plunge in deep lard, frying until golden brown. 
Arrange on a deep platter and pour over them the fol- 
lowing sauce: Put in the blazer a tablespoonful of 
butter and braid into it a tablespoonful of flour, 
which should gently brown. Add one-half cup- 
ful of Italian white wine and a half-can of bouillon, 
salt, and cayenne. After boiling about fifteen minutes 
add a teaspoonful each of chopped chives, parsley, a 
few stoned olives, and as many mushrooms as you 
think it will stand. Bring to a boil and serve piping 
hot with Chianti, or, better still, Brachetto Spumanti 
or Lachrima Christi. 




112 



CHAPTER XII 

rnrr 

"Good living is due to that action of tlie 
judgment by wkick tilings that please our 
taste are preferable to all otters.'— S A varin. 

In the Bachelor's Cupboard there 
are many condiments. The epicure 
has so cultivated his taste that he 
can tell in the twinkling of an eye 
just what ones are used in the prep- 
aration of a dish, just what it lacks, 
or, perchance, if there be too much 
of one seasoning. 

By his knowledge and apprecia- 
tion of condiments is the epicure rec- 
ognized ; insipidity of taste goes with 
lack of character, and the greatest of 
dullards satisfies himself with the 
simplest of foods. To be an epicure 
does not necessarily mean that a man 
must be possessed of means; for, as 
Savarin tells us, " the pleasures of 
the table are common to all ranks 
and ages, to all countries and times; 

113 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Concerning Condiments 

they not only harmonize with other pleasures, but re- 
main to console us for their loss." The discovery of 
a new dish, he says, does more than the discovery of a 
planet for the happiness of the human race. 

The true epicure has an Intuitive knowledge of 
taste. He can tell immediately as the cover Is lifted 
from a dish, by the aroma, just what the seasonings 
are. And his knowledge of the condiments of all 
nations Is positively uncanny, and suggests more than 
one reincarnation. An authority on curries, a dls- 
serter on culinary arts of the time of Confucius and 
Pliny, he can tell of the last feast served In Pompeii 
and what Nero last drank and how Napoleon fared 
at St. Helena. He can recite a list of the dishes at a 
feast of Lucullus, and tell precisely how many orto- 
lans were sacrificed for It, the age of a ripe olive, and 
the vintage of a claret, by Its bouquet. The deriva- 
tion of each seasoning and the country of its discovery 
are as simple to him as the rule of three ; and there Is to 
him the same delight In dissecting a dish and In rem- 
iniscing on Its origin as there Is to the Egyptologist In 
deciphering some graven stone found In a long-closed 
tomb. 

The bachelor who Is or expects to be an epicure 
may begin with a few simple facts about condiments, 
and from this knowledge cull an appreciation for 
things epicurean that will enable him to become a self- 
taught Sybarite of the deepest dye. The bourgeoisie 
of France teach us that It Is not the quality of the meat, 

114 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Concerning Condiments 

but its seasoning, that gives it that perfection we recog- 
nize. A five-penny soup bone may attain by judicious 
seasoning at the hand of the French femme de cuisine 
the dignity of a plat at the Cafe Royale. 

In stocking the cupboard, then, do not forget the 
value that lies in the condiments, for without them no 
dish is palatable. The simplest of them all, the ple- 
beian salt, is the most necessary, and without it the 
finest feast would be impossible. 

Pepper is another essential, and the varieties that 
should be included are black pepper and white pepper, 
each obtained from a plant both wild and cultivated, 
growing in India. Cayenne pepper is the sharpest 
variety, and the sweet chile pepper of New Orleans 
and Mexican cities, which is much milder, is also de- 
sirable. The pimientos belong to the pepper family, 
and no one should fail to include in his condiment cup- 
board a few cans of the Pimientos Morrones, or sweet 
peppers put up in oil. Chile pepper occupies the same 
place in Creole cookery that curry powder holds in 
that of India and Ceylon. Paprika is the national sea- 
soning of Hungary, and is perhaps a shade stronger 
than the chile pepper, and vastly better for use in 
dishes containing cheese. Here is a fact that should 
be remembered : It is said by a famous physician that if 
a person eats every day a little red pepper with his 
food, he will never become a paralytic. But by the 
same token, there is danger in eating too much, as one's 
stomach may easily become burned by it. 

115 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Concerning Condiments 

When Louis XV. at the request of Madame Du 
Barry conferred the order of '' cordon bleu " upon the 
cook in recognition of her perfect cooking, he was quite 
overcome at the perfection of each dish and its sea- 
soning. The French as a race are past masters at the 
art of seasoning food, and devote the same attention to 
these culinary masterpieces that a poet or painter does 
to his art. A list of condiments and their uses may 
aid the bachelor in preparing his feasts, and from it he 
may select whatever suits the Individual taste. 

ANCHOVY A British firm practically controls the 
ESSENCE world's market in the manufacture of 
anchovy essence, which Is made from a little sea fish 
caught In the Mediterranean. It can be bought 
for use as hors d'ceuvres In little kegs or In bottles 
as packed In Italy. The essence Is used in flavoring 
fish sauces, and the anchovy paste or anchovy but- 
ter which comes In small jars is used spread upon 
canapes and on hot toast, while It Is used in England 
in sandwiches served at afternoon tea. Anchovy 
eggs are appetizers made from hard-boiled eggs, the 
yolks mashed with anchovy paste and returned to the 
cavities. 

AROMA- Is a fine salt having mixed with It for 
TIC SALT ready use pepper, mace, bay leaf, rose- 
mary, sage, thyme, celery seed, and perhaps other Ingre- 
dients. It saves time and trouble In mixing the vari- 
ous seasonings necessary for soups, etc. 

ii6 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Concerning Condiments 

BEAR- A Swiss sauce named from King Henry, 

NAISE u^^^ Bearnalse," in his Swiss home. A 

SAUCE 

popular sauce for serving with beefsteaks 

and fillet of beef. 

CAPERS Pickled green berries from a shrub, an old- 
time relish to eat with mutton. Caper sauce is made 
from butter sauce mixed with capers and the caper 
vinegar. Capers are used as well in certain salads. 
The pods of the nasturtium flower are often used as 
a substitute. 

CA- is a relish beloved of gourmands the world 

VIARE over. In Berlin a favorite supper dish, 

served with cayenne and lemon, bread and butter. In 
London, as a sandwich, and in America commonly 
served as ^'^ canapes a la Russe/' It is the salted and 
smoked roe of the sturgeon, and generally branded as 
Russian, although it is coming to be made in this 
country to some extent. 

CELERY is ground celery seeds added to common 
SALT salt, and a very necessary adjunct to the 

bachelor's cupboard. 

CHILI is made from Mexican sweet peppers, finely 

COLO- minced in vinegar pickle. Can be bought 

RADO jj^ bottles and excellent for oysters or cold 

SAUCE ^ 

meats. 

CHILI is a sauce or relish made from tomatoes, 

SAUCE green peppers, and spices. A favorite 

sauce for cold meats in America. 

117 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Concerning Condiments 

CHOW is made from mixed pickles thickened with 
CHOW scalded mustard. 

CHUTNEY is an East Indian sweet pickle, similar to 
Bengal Chutney. One may also buy mango chutney, 
a characteristic Singhalese condiment, particularly good 
with curry. 

CURRY is a yellow powder of which the principal 
POWDER ingredient is turmeric, a species of ginger. 
When one speaks of Ceylon and of India, his thoughts 
naturally revert to curries, which are served there in 
such delicious variety. Many of the London clubs 
having their culinary specialties, notably the Oriental 
in Hanover Square, where curried prawns are served 
at their best ; the Garrick, and the little grill over 
Toole's Theater, where the curries are flavored with 
tamarinds. Every bachelor menage should be supplied 
with curry, and the making of the various kinds will 
give the cook a wide knowledge of dry curry, Singhal- 
ese curry, and so on through a long list. 
ESTRA- ^^^ ^^ same — a garden herb used for 
GON AND flavoring vinegar. Tarragon vinegar is a 
TARRA- necessary ingredient in the making of spe- 
^^■•^ cial salads and sauces. 

FINE may be purchased already mixed in tins, 

HERBS and poultry seasoning, which is practically 

the same, is excellent for stuffing, the Bell's Poultry 
Seasoning being the best known variety. 
FINAN- consists of brown sauce with sherry, 

r 

CIERE cocks' combs, livers, pieces of sweet- 

GARNISH breads, etc. 

ii8 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Concerning Condiments 

FRENCH is an indefinite name for a variety of salad 
DRESSING dressings, but commonly made from salt, 
pepper, oil, and vinegar, with perhaps a bit of red 
wine to color it. 

GARLIC is a member of the onion family, and de- 
licious, if used with great care. Italian and Spanish 
cooks are masters in the art of using it, and a " clove 
of garlic " is simply one of the divisions of the bulb, 
not a head of garlic. It should be in every menage, if 
for nothing but to rub a salad bowl, which imparts a 
delicious flavor to the salad. 

HARVEY'S is an English relish. 
SAUCE 

HORSE- IS the root of a plant bottled in vinegar. 
RADISH German horseradish sauce is grated horse- 
radish boiled either in gravy or water, to which yolks 
beaten up in cream and vinegar are added, but not 
allowed to boil. English horseradish sauce is simply the 
root grated into vinegar, preferably Tarragon vinegar. 
Horseradish mustard is an excellent condiment for cold 
beef, and horseradish butter is made from grated horse- 
radish, lemon juice, and butter kneaded together for a 
beefsteak sauce, and served at the famous Beefsteak 
Club in London. 

MACE- A French product used for soups, salads, 

DOINE and garnishing planked steaks. They come 

VEGE- jj^ glass, with carrots, turnips, string beans, 

TABLES fe ' ' . , 

peas, and green beans, a delightful melange 

of color, and delicious when served with a plain French 

dressing as a salad. 

119 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Concerning Condiments 

MANGO are stuffed young melons or cucumbers, 
PICKLES and an admirable relish with cold cuts. 
MAYON- is an uncooked salad dressing made from 
NAISE oil and the yolks of eggs, mustard, lemon 

juice or vinegar, and salt. 

MINT is chopped green mint, vinegar, and sugar, 

SAUCE mixed and served cold with lamb or mut- 

ton. Also served in America with hot roast lamb, 
but never In England. 

MUSH- tinned, are a necessity for use In many 
ROOMS entrees, or cooked In the chafing-dish by 
themselves. Cepes are large mushrooms preserved In 
oil, and mushroom catsup is a delicious relish. Mush- 
rooms dried, can be bought at Italian groceries and are 
better as to flavor than the tinned variety, when used 
for sauces and garnishes for steaks. 

MUSTARD is one of the essentials, like salt, in every 

cupboard. Epicures In Shakespeare's time ate mustard 

with pancakes. Several varieties of mixed mustards 

may be bought in glass, notably the German mustard 

and English mustard. Mustard mixed in warm water 

is a valuable emetic in case of poisoning, and mustard 

plasters and hot mustard-water foot-baths make this 

condiment an especially valuable one. 

NOODLES, are respectively the American, French, and 

NOUILLES German names for a yellow paste similar 

AND ^Q macaroni, but containing the yolks of 

NUDELN ^y . 1 ,1.1 

eggs. Delicious as cooked like macaroni, 

and much used also In clear soups. 

1 20 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Concerning Condiments 

OIL is one of the most Important of condiments, 

and used by the Latin races in their cookery in prefer- 
ence to butter. Olive oil is obtained by crushing and 
pressing the olives In sacks, after which It Is subjected 
to a refining process. A vast quantity Is produced 
annually In France, Italy, and Spain, and In Califor- 
nia it Is coming to be one of the staple products. 
There are many varieties, but In Italian oil the Lucca 
Is considered the best, and can best be had from Italian 
grocers In bulk. Most epicures, however, prefer what 
is said to be the finest oil made, the French " Veuve 
Chaffard," which has a slight greenish tinge, and Is 
carefully bottled. 

The two distinct schools of cookery in France are 
the '' langue d'Oil!* which Is distinct from the 
" langue d'Oc'' In the Northern cuisines and In 
Paris butter Is the principal vehicle, but In the 
sunny Riviera and the Midi oil Is the chief asslmllator. 
French authorities hold that the '' cuisine au heurre ** 
Is more conducive to digestion than the " cuisine a 
Vhuile!' A thoroughly educated palate may soon learn 
to distinguish the French oil from the Italian. 

OLIVES are the most popular of hors d'oeuvres In 
this country and In Europe. There are many varie- 
ties, the best the Spanish Queen olives of mammoth 
size; then the Sicilian olives, the ripe olives of Cali- 
fornia, and olives stuffed with red peppers and ancho- 
vies, as well as pickled olives. No well-regulated cup- 
board should be without them. 

121 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Concerning Condiments 

/OSCAR'S is the chef d'oeuvre of Oscar of the 
/ SAUCE Waldorf-Astoria. 

/ PARME- is an Italian cheese which comes grated in 
SAN bottles, and an indispensable accompani- 

CHEESE ment to most Italian dishes, such as maca- 
roni, spaghetti, ravioli, onion soup, and all soups made 
from Italian pastes. 

PIMIENTO is allspice. 

PIMIENTO are canned sweet peppers. 
MORRONES 

SAGE is the best herb flavoring for pork, sausage, 

goose, and tame duck. Can be bought in pressed 
packages or ground in tins. 

SAVORY is another soup herb that comes in two 
varieties — summer and winter savory. Better bought 
green from the green-grocer than in the powdered 

state. 

SOY is a bottled sauce of high flavor, imported 

from China and India. 

TABASCO is the " hottest " sauce known. Indis- 
SAUCE pensable. 

TRUFFLES A fungus growing underground, and es- 
teemed as a great luxury in Europe. Principally used 
in game pates, boned capon, and other made dishes, 
the Perigord variety being the most choice. 
TARTARE is mayonnaise mixed with chopped onion 
SAUCE and parsley and served with fish. Olives 

and pickles are also added, when desired. 

122 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Concerning Condiments 

VINEGAR is best bought bottled, unless one is sure 
of getting the finest cider or maple-sugar vinegar made 
by New England farmers. White-wine vinegar is also 
delicious for salads, and this, with the common variety, 
a bottle of Tarragon vinegar, and a small jug contain- 
ing vinegar into which the dregs may be emptied from 
wine bottles and kept for French dressing, should be 
found in every cuisine. Many condiments may be dis- 
pensed with, but oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, and mus- 
tard are the essentials with which a man of moderate 
means may get on nicely in the preparation of simple 
repasts. 

WORCES- is an English relish of world-wide fame. 
TERSHIRE Essential for a Welsh rabbit and has a 
SAUCE variety of uses. 




123 




CHAPTER XIII 

"He ttat waits upon fortune is never 
sure of a dinner." 

At times there seems to be a craving 
for vegetables that is irresistible. 
Possibly the hungry bachelor may 
have a Sunday luncheon in progress, 
or mayhap a more than usually sub- 
stantial supper at which he wishes to 
serve up in some succulent form a 
vegetarian snack. For him, then, let 
these few chafing-dish recipes be set 
down. 

BROILED Does it seem possible 
TOMATOES that the luscious tomato 
was ever considered poisonous and 
that sure death awaited the eater ? A 
fact it Is, though, but most of us 
would prefer to think of this vegeta- 
ble as the one-time " love-apple " ; 
surely It Is a name that conjures up 
more delightful thoughts w^hen the 

125 




A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Variations with Vegetables 

juicy red tomatoes are broiling. Put in the blazer 
a tablespoonful of butter, and while it melts cut in 
thick slices some large ripe tomatoes. Dust them with 
salt, pepper, and, if the tooth be sweet, a bit of sugar; 
then dip in cracker dust and lay in the blazer, turn- 
ing frequently until they look " just right to eat." 
They make a delightful accompaniment for a chop or 
a deviled kidney. 

PEAS A LA This shall be the name for a dish of peas, 
BOUDET for at the little Cafe Boudet on the corner 
of the Boulevard Raspall and the Rue Leopold Robert, 
in Paris, is a quaint little cafe with a "^ cuisine bour- 
geoisef^ where the jovial '' cuisiniere des legumes '* 
kindly favored me with her recipe for the most deli- 
cious peas I ever tasted. A slice or two of fat bacon 
or salt pork is cut in dice and put in the blazer to fry 
gently, and a small onion is sliced into the fat when it 
is hot and sizzling. When the onion Is brown and 
tender and the bacon is crisp, a can of French petits 
pois is drained of the liquid and turned into the mix- 
ture, with salt, pepper, and a bit of butter. Two or 
three spoonfuls of thin cream may be added a discretion, 
and this is a dish fit for Napoleon himself. 

CREAMED A small can of French mushrooms, which 
MUSH- may be bought for fifteen or twenty cents, 
ROOMS makes from four to six portions of creamed 
mushrooms. Happy be the bachelor who Is an authority 
on Mycology; he may go Into the fields or woods and 
select his own mushrooms, buttons, puff-balls, or fairy 
rings, and prepare them as best suits him. But " in de 

126 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Variations with Vegetables 

vlnter time," when the market price of fresh mushrooms 
puts them beyond the pale, the canned ones may be sub- 
stituted with good result. Into the blazer put a table- 
spoonful of butter and stir into it a tablespoonful 
(level) of flour; when this has blended, stir into it a 
cup of thin cream, or even a cup of milk, if you desire 
to be economical. When this has heated, turn in the 
mushrooms, and serve when hot on slices of toast that 
are crisp and well-buttered. Creamed potatoes are 
prepared in the same way, substituting for the mush- 
rooms cold boiled potatoes cut in dice and perhaps a 
suspicion of chopped parsley. 

POMMES The Latin races are famous for their pro- 

r 

SAUTE lific use of olive oil ; and truly, it imparts a 
delicacy that makes even fried food palatable — if one 
likes oil. It's said to be an acquired taste, and many 
people are unable ever to like it ; but as this book is sup- 
posed to cater to epicures, and to be an epicure one 
must like olive oil. I'll tell you how saute potatoes are 
done as they do them in a queer little restaurant in the 
Rue de la Grande Chaumiere, in Paris. The Russian 
exile who keeps it is anarchistic in his conversation, but 
his saute potatoes will cover a multitude of anarchistic 
tendencies. Slice very thin raw potatoes that have 
been peeled and laid in very cold water for a few min- 
utes. Have in the blazer a liberal quantity of fresh 
hu'ile d' olives J the " Veuve Chaffard " variety, and 
after it is smoking hot, dry the potatoes in a towel 
and put in the oil, with salt and pepper. Saute gently 
with a fork every now and then until quite done. 

127 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Variations with Vegetables 

HASHED Shall these accompany the grilled steak? 
BROWN Put then in the blazer two tablespoonfuls 
POTATOES Qf butter and one of flour, salt and pepper. 
Mix well and turn in sufficient cold boiled potatoes 
chopped fine for the meal. Stir the potato until it Is 
thoroughly heated through, then allow it to cook with- 
out stirring until it is a golden brown. Turn out 
in a hot dish, brown side up. Oil may be used instead 
of butter, and gives it a delicate flavor. 

'' Many dig their graves with their teeth f 

said Ben Franklin; but what a glorious way to dig 
them ! If eating and drinking were taken from us, life 
wouldn't be worth the living, and there are more who 
die from insufficient food than from good living. Good 
livers who take the proper amount of exercise are rarely 
troubled with gout and the kindred ills the flesh of the 
gourmet is heir to. Then ho! for the next delicacy, 
which shall be a hitherto-unnamed dish of my own 
invention. I call It 

MACE- Into the blazer put two generous table- 
DOINE spoonfuls of butter or oil, and then a can of 
CHAUD ^j^g delicious French vegetables that come in 
such tempting form — or a glass of them. If this be pre- 
ferred. There will be succulent French beans, petits 
poisj and tiny cubes of carrots, turnips, mayhap a bit 
of parsnip or salsify, and with all this you may like 
a suspicion of onion, which may be had by gently stir- 
ring in the melted butter for a moment two or three 

128 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Variations with Vegetables 

slices of onion, which are afterward removed. When 
the vegetables are hot, they are good enough to eat 
with almost anything; but if there is cream handy, a 
spoonful or two stirred through the vegetables is cer- 
tainly an improvement. It has a very Frenchy bou- 
quet, this dish, and suggests one of Verlaine's spring 
poems. Try it. 

BRUSSELS Suppose you are entertaining an English- 
SPROUTS man and want to give him something 
" homey." If you are perchance deviling slices of rare 
roast beef in one chafer, then give him some Brussels 
sprouts in the other, and he will beam upon you in 
truth. For Brussels sprouts are to Johnny Bull what 
rice is to a Chinaman. Wash a quart of sprouts and 
take off any decayed leaves, then boil until tender in 
salted water. They cook very quickly. Take out and 
drain, then melt some good butter in the blazer and 
saute the sprouts lightly in the pan, dusting lightly with 
salt and pepper. And no matter how hot your 
" devil," don't neglect to have English mustard handy 
for your Briton. 

SPA- This may properly come under the head of 

GHETTI vegetables, and do you know that it can be 
deliciously cooked in a chafing-dish? Have boiling in 
the hot-water pan some salted water, and take as much 
spaghetti as required, a few sticks at a time, and gently 
slide into the boiling water without breaking. The 
secret of good spaghetti is in not overcooking it, as Joe 
of the Cafe Angelo in Boston's Little Italy told me; 

129 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Variations with Vegetables 

and he knows. When It is done, which will be In 
about fifteen or twenty minutes, drain and put In the 
blazer some butter — two tablespoonfuls. Into this 
work a little flour, and. If you want spaghetti with 
cream, put in a cup of milk and salt and pepper to taste, 
and when it Is smooth and thick, add the spaghetti. 
Pass grated Parmesan cheese with It when served. 
If, however, you want It In true Italian fashion, put 
In a cup of strained tomato juice Instead of the milk, 
and either some button mushrooms cut In slices or some 
of the dried mushrooms that can be bought at any 
Italian grocery and soaked out In cold water. A little 
grated cheese may be stirred In, but It should be passed 
as well. Lastly, add the spaghetti. If you have any 
pieces of cold ham, cut fine and add them. They give 
a delicious flavor. 

ASPARA- Shall It be canned asparagus tips or aspara- 
GUS gus on toast ? Either is an excellent chafing- 

dish dainty that Is Improved vastly by a cup of thin 
cream In the cooking. Have the asparagus heated, with 
possibly a little melted butter poured over the stalks or 
tips If you like It — and who doesn't? Then In your 
blazer put the aforesaid cup of cream and season It with 
salt and pepper and a slight soupgon of chili pepper. 
Have ready some triangular slices of toast, and when 
this sauce Is hot, dip each slice of toast In It quickly 
with a fork, and put on a hot plate. Lay on the toast 
some of the asparagus, and when all the plates are filled 
pour over each some of the hot cream sauce. 

130 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Variations with Vegetables 

ASPARA- In Pliny's time, when asparagus grew 
GUS FROID wild, it may not have been considered as 
great a delicacy as now; and one does not learn of the 
variations of serving that it was treated to then ; but 
now, in the high places where one is miles from a 
little neck or an oyster, this is a substitute that may 
well begin a dinner — it's especially inviting after a 
lone-tree cocktail. Have some boiled asparagus tips 
nicely cooled and served on shaved ice with a dressing 
of lemon juice, horseradish, salt, and pepper; and don't 
forget to pass the Tabasco. You'll be surprised at the 
appeal this tidbit makes to you. 

CUCUM- Don't tell me that you never fried cucum- 
BERS ^ bers; if you haven't, it's quite time you 

SAUTE learned. Put in the blazer a tablespoonful 
of butter, and slice your cucumbers, nicely peeled, into 
quarter-inch slices; dip in beaten egg, then in cracker 
crumbs, and fry in that same butter a delicate brown. 
Serve with broiled chicken, or any game — even with 
that mock-venison which I've already told how to do in 
the chafing-dish. It's a welcome change from cucum- 
bers with French dressing, and not at all indigestible, 
though some may say so. 





CHAPTER XIV 

"Ttey ttat love mirtk. 

Let them teartily drink ; 
'Tis tte only receipt 

To make sorrow sink." 

— BElf JoNSON. 

Why do men drink? 

To quench thirst? To drown sor- 
row? 

Both are good reasons; but there 
are many other reasons why, for cen- 
turies, drink has been a synonym for 
good cheer. While some may be 
drowning their woes in the wine cup, 
others are right jubilantly celebrat- 
ing their good fortune. The drink- 
ing horn has been emptied and the 
wassail bowl has flowed right merrily 
down the ages since St. Paul advised 
" a little wine for the stomach's 
sake." 

The man who drinks too much is 
not more intemperate than he who 

133 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

A Dissertation on Drinks 

drinks too little ; the truly temperate mariner who steers 
the middle course is the only one worthy of the name; 
his conduct fits the word. 

What mental lubricator can equal a choice drink? 
It calls forth jest and song, it stimulates eloquence and^ 
awakens wholesome mirth. 

Then " let us eat, drink, and be merry, for to-morrow 
le. 

A painter who lacks skill In mixing his colors spoils 
many a good canvas. So It Is with the concocter of 
drinks. Be his materials never so numerous and pure, 
If he lacks skill as a compounder; for he will not only 
mar good ingredients, but disappoint a company. To 
avert so sad a calamity is the mission of this chapter, 
in which divers delectable drinks are given, with direc- 
tions for their mixing. 

"Drink in the morning staring — 
Then all day be sparing/* 

ABSINTHE Into a goblet of shaved ice put two dashes 
COCKTAIL of maraschino, one dash of orange bitters, 
and one pony of absinthe. Stir well, strain, and serve. 

'' The fish lead a pleasant life — they drink when they 
like." 

ALE Three pints of ale, draught or bottled, a 

FLIP spoonful of sugar, a piece of mace, six 

cloves, and a small piece of butter. Let this boil, and 

134 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

A Dissertation on Drinks 

then beat the white of an egg and the yolks of three 
eggs In a little cold ale, add to the boiling ale, and 
pour the whole swiftly from one vessel to another for a 
few minutes, then serve. 

''Ale sellers should nae be tale tellers" 

ALE One quart of Burton ale, one quart of 

PUNCH Nierstelner, a wineglassful of brandy, a 
wineglassful of capIUalre syrup, the juice of a lemon 
and a piece of the peel ; grate a bit of nutmeg and add 
a piece of brown toast; mix well and let It stand cold 
for two hours before straining and serving. 

'' Good ale is meat and drink and cloth/* 

^Y^ Heat a half-pint of ale and a half-pint of 

WALTER sherry, add one quart of boiling milk, 
RALEIGH sugar to taste, and some grated nutmeg. 
RECIPE j|. should stand In a warm place for an 
hour, and just before serving add the yolks 
of two eggs, then beat well and serve hot. 

''If you brew well, you may drink well" 

LAMB'S Heat a pint of good ale, add sugar and 
WOOL nutmeg to taste, then lemon peel and a 

pinch of cloves and ginger. Put In a bowl with three 
roasted apples sliced and three pieces of toast. Serve 
very hot. It's a prime nightcap. 

135 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

A Dissertation on Drinks 

'' To good eating belongs good drinking/* 

SCOTCH Mix with one well-beaten egg two table- 
HOT spoonfuls of ale, some nutmeg, and one- 

PINT fourth pint of Scotch whisky. Stir in two 

pints of boiling-hot ale and add sugar to taste. Pour 
from one pitcher into another until frothy, and serve 
at once. 

'' Good drink drives out bad thoughts/* 

BROWN Melt one pound of sugar in one pint of 
BETTY — water; add while boiling a pinch of 
^^ pounded cloves, a dash of cinnamon, one- 

DRTMK ^^^ P^^* °^ brandy, and one quart of good 
ale. Add a little ginger and nutmeg, and 
serve Ice cold in summer, boiling hot in winter. ' 

*' Drink wine and let water go to the mill" — Italian, 

AMER- Rub the peel of six lemons on one pound 
ICAN of loaf sugar; squeeze their juice and that 

PUNCH q£ gj-j^ oranges on it, carefully removing the 
seeds, add four pounds of loaf sugar, five cloves, and 
two quarts of water. Skim well, fill into bottles, and 
keep for the punch. Then mix one and one-half pints 
of green tea, a pint of brandy, a quart of rum, a quart 
of champagne, and a cup of well-sweetened chartreuse 
into a punch bowl, add a lump of ice, three oranges and 

136 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

A Dissertation on Drinks 

a lemon cut in slices. Let stand two hours, after stirring 
in the bottled mixture, stirring repeatedly that it may 
be well blended. 

'' Only what I drink is mine." — Polish. 

BRAIN Squeeze into a tumbler the juice of a lime 
DUSTER and add two dashes of gum, a pony of ab- 
sinthe, two dashes of vino vermouth, and two dashes 
of sherry. Fill up with Ice, stir, strain, and serve. 

*' Where reason rules, appetite obeys/* 

CHAM- This is a ladylike beverage, Indeed. To 
PAGNE make it, put a large lump of sugar In a 
COBBLER wineglass nearly filled with shaved Ice, and 
fill the Intervals with champagne. Stir slowly, adding 
a little vanilla or strawberry ice cream, and serve with 
a straw and a spoon. It Is sure to make a hit with the 
" younger sister." 

'' Of wine and love, the first is best." 



CHAT- One bottle of Catawba wine, one and a 
^ - quarter bottles rum, the same quantity of 

LERY whisky, one and a half pineapples, and suf- 

PUNCH ficlent strawberries to flavor and color. 
Allow liquid to stand under seal over night. When 
ready to serve add three quarts of champagne. 

137 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

A Dissertation on Drinks 

'' Drink nothing without seeing itJ" 

CHAM- Mix one bottle of champagne, two bottles 
PAGNE of soda, a glass of brandy, a glass of Cura- 
^^^ gao, some slices of cucumber peel, and the 

juice of a lemon. Moselle or Sauterne may be made 
into cups the same way, and alluring decoctions they 
are. Another " cup " is made in this fashion : a cordial 
glass each of benedlctine, brandy, and maraschino are 
put in a quart jug. Filling it up with champagne 
makes a champagne cup that is not to be sneezed at. 
Rhine wine, cider, or claret may be used with felicitous 
result. 

''Drink upon salad costs the doctor a ducat/* 

CIDER This is a favorite English beverage. Make 

BOWL an extract of a spoonful of green tea in a 

half-pint of boiling water, and after letting it stand a 
quarter-hour, put in a punch bowl and add six ounces 
of lump sugar, a bittle of cidar, two wineglasses of 
brandy, half a pint of cold water, and place the bowl 
on Ice for further orders. 

''He who likes drinking is ever talking of wine!* 

CLARET Into a punch bowl put half a pony each 
CUP of benedlctine, yellow chartreuse, maras- 

chino, and Curagao, the juice of six limes, two bottles 
of claret, one bottle of Moselle, one bottle of Apol- 

138 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

A Dissertation on Drinks 

llnaris, half a pound of sugar, a little sliced orange and 
pineapple, and a few sprigs of mint. Stir thoroughly 
and add some pieces of ice. 

"^ Eat and drink measurely and defy the mediciners" 

CLUB Half a glassful of ice, two dashes of gum, 

COCKTAIL two-thirds of gin, one-third of vino ver- 
mouth, two dashes of orange bitters, and one dash of 
green chartreuse. Stir well, strain, and serve. 

" Drink the wine and dont inquire of the vine" 

COFFEE Break an egg into a glass and beat it well ; 
AND add a spoonful of sugar and a wineglassful 

RUM Qf rum. Mix this up well, pour into a 

cup of the best Mocha coffee — hot — and add a small 
piece of butter. This is a famous " blue chaser." 

"Bacchus loves freedom.'^ 

EARTH- In a medium wineglass put one-third each 
QUAKE of benedictine, brandy, and Curagao, and 
CALMER ^jjj-gg dashes of Angostura. 

" Conviviality reveals secrets/* 

EGG NOGG Beat in a bowl the yolks of four eggs with 
PUNCH six ounces of powdered sugar; add gradu- 
ally one pint of brandy, one-fifth of a pint of rum, a 

139 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

A Dissertation on Drinks 

pony of maraschino, and two quarts of milk; beat the 
whites of the eggs until they are snowy, and sweeten 
with a bit of vanilla or lemon sugar. Let the whites 
float on top of the punch and serve cold. 

"^ The best brewer sometimes makes bad beer/* 

ENGLISH Rub the rind of two lemons on half a 
PUNCH pound of sugar and put In the punch bowl, 
squeezing the juice over It with a quart of boiling 
water. Stir well; add three gills of rum and half a 
pint of brandy; grate a little nutmeg over the top and 
heat before seiTlng. 

*' Esteemed without but loved within 
Is London s mellow Old Tom gin." 

GIN Mix one pint of sugar syrup, a glass of 

SLING brandy, and the same of gin, a slice of 

lemon, and a pint of soda. Serve cold. 

"He that sips many arts, drinks none." 

ENGLISH Rub the peel of three lemons on one pound 
MILK of sugar and put In a bowl; squeeze the 

PUNCH juice of the lemons over, and grate half a 
nutmeg and add with a bottle of rum. Mix thor- 
oughly and let stand over night, then add one quart 
each of boiling water and milk. Allow the mixture 

140 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

A Dissertation on Drinks 

to stand covered two hours. Filter through a flannel 
bag until the punch is absolutely clear, and serve ice 
cold. 

"^ The beers of your own brewing, and you must 
drink it'* 

HOL- Into SI goblet put some shaved ice, two 

LANDS dashes of gum, one of absinthe, two dashes 
COCKTAIL orange bitters, and a little Hollands. 
Strain and serve. 

*' When Bacchus pokes the fire, Venus sits by the oven." 

SPICED Here's a hot drink for a zero night. Have 
CLARET half a dozen lumps of sugar, four whole 
allspice, two w^hole cloves, the juice of half a lemon, 
and half a teaspoonful of ground cinnamon In a saucer. 
Mix well and put In the bowl and pour over half a 
pint of claret and let It boll for just two minutes, stir- 
ring all the while. Strain Into hot glasses, and over 
the top of each grate a little nutmeg before serving. 

*' The devil is not in the quality of wine, but in the 

quantity ** 

DAN- Into a cocktail glass squeeze the juice of 

FORTH quarter of an orange, add a wineglassful 
APPETIZER Qf French vermouth and fill up with selt- 
zer. A good change for an avant diner from the tra- 
ditional cocktail. 

141 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 



A Dissertation on Drinks 



'' He earns a farthing and has a pennyworth of thirst'* 

WASSAIL This is a famous old English Christmastide 
recipe, and dates back to the time of good Queen Bess 
— and earlier. To a pint of ale add one-half ounce 
of grated ginger, one-half ounce of grated nutmeg, a 
pinch of cinnamon, and one-half pound of brown sugar. 
Heat and stir, but do not boil. Add two more pints 
of ale, one-half pint of sherry or Malaga, the zest of 
a lemon rubbed on a lump of sugar, and, finally, six 
cored and roasted apples. In serving hot, in bowls, 
serve a piece of apple to each. 

''^ Gods I What wild folly from the goblet flows! '* 

— Homer, 

IMPERIAL Peel one pineapple and four oranges; cut 
PUNCH the first in small slices and separate the 
oranges into pieces, putting all in a punch bowl. Then 
boil in a quart of water two sticks of cinnamon and a 
stick of vanilla cut in small pieces; strain the water 
through the sieve into the bowl, and then rub the rind 
of a lemon on one and one-half pounds of lump sugar, 
put the sugar in the water, arid squeeze over the juice 
of three lemons. After it cools, place on ice and add 
a bottle of Rhine wine, a quart of rum, and, just be- 
fore serving, a bottle of champagne and half a bottle 
of seltzer. 

142 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 



A Dissertation on Drinks 



'^ A big head has a hig ache'* 

MINT Dampen a small bunch of mint, dust with 

JULEP powdered sugar, bruising slightly, and pour 

over a little boiling water. Allow this to draw, then 
strain Into tall glasses quite filled with finely-shaved Ice. 
Dress the glass with sprigs of mint and pour in enough 
brandy to fill. Do not stir, but set in the Ice box until 
thoroughly cool, and serve with straws. 

" He is an ill guest that never drinks to his host/' 

SHANDY Mix equal parts of ginger ale and Bass's 
GAFF Pale Ale. A temperate libation approved 

of by the very youthful Londoners. 

"^ Claret for boys, port for men, and brandy for heroes/* 

SHERRY Into a large glass put a spoonful of sugar, 
COBBLER a dash of White Rock, a wineglassful of 
sherry, and a dash of port. Fill up with fine Ice, orna- 
ment with fruits In season, and top off with a spoonful 
of Ice cream of desired flavor. Serve with a straw 
and spoon. 

''I will drink life to the lass." — Tennyson, 

THE ONLY Put in a tall goblet some shaved Ice, two 
ONE dashes of gum, half a pony of creme de 

menthe, a pony of gin, and a dash of orange bitters. 

143 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

A Dissertation on Drinks 

Squeeze into it the juice of a lemon-peel, stir well and 
serve. 

" The three-hooped pot shall have ten hoops, and I 
will make it felony to drink small beer" — Shakespeare. 

STOUT Boil a quart of stout with a quarter-pound 
PUNCH of lump sugar and a stick of cinnamon; 
beat four eggs to a foam and mix with a wineglassful of 
rum ; take the stout from the fire and add, while contin- 
ually stirring, to the egg mixture. 

APPETI- Two lumps of ice, one-third vino vermouth 
ZER OF (Italian), one-third of Fernet branca, and 
ANGELO ^ gjj^,g Qf orange. This is served at the 
North End cafe of Angelo, in Boston, and is the favor- 
ite Italian aperitif, 

''*Twtll make the widow* s heart to sing. 

Though the tear he in her eye." „ 

— Burns, 

AN IM- Into a goblet put the juice of a lime, a lit- 
MORTAL tie seltzer, and a spoonful of sugar, half 
bOUR Qf apple-jack, half of peach brandy, and 

the white of an egg. Fill up with ice, strain and serve. 

*' * In vino Veritas * is an argument for drinking only 
when you suppose all men to be liars." — Dr. Johnson. 

WEEPER'S To a goblet two-thirds full of fine ice add 
JOY three dashes of gum, half a pony of ab- 

144 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

A Dissertation on Drinks 

sinthe, half a pony of vino vermouth, half a pony of 
kummel, and one dash of Curagao. Stir and strain 
before serving. 

'' "Never lend a man money after youve been drink- 
ing; never try to borrow from one before he*s had a 
drink" 

WHISKY Into half a glassful of shaved ice squeeze 
COCKTAIL a little lemon peel, to which add three 
dashes of gum, two dashes of bitters, one dash of ab- 
sinthe, and a small glass of whisky. For whisky sling, 
put into a goblet containing a little fine ice, two dashes 
of gum and a wineglassful of good whisky. Stir and 
strain. 

'^ Come, gentlemen, drink down all unkindness/* 

- — Shakespeare, 

VELVET Half a bottle of champagne, half a bottle 
of White Rock, and two ponies of brandy. Mix in a 
jug, and add a lump of ice. 

'' Then ifs always fair weather 
When good felloivs get together" 

ROYAL Mix champagne and brandy, a quart of 
SHANDY the former to a pint of the latter. An- 
GAFF other recipe calls for a third the amount 

of brandy, and lest it be too strong one should experi- 
ment until he has it exactly to his own taste. 

145 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

A Dissertation on Drinks 

'^' There is a devil in every berry of the grape." 

— The Koran, 

LORD Peel one lemon fine; add some white lump 

SALTOUN'S sugar and pour over it a glass of sherry. 

CLARET Then add a bottle of claret — even plain 
CUP .... 

vin ordinaire will answer — and sugar to 

taste ; also a bottle of soda water and nutmeg, if liked. 

Strain and ice well. If preferred mulled, strain, heat, 

and serve piping hot. 

'^ Sweet is old wine in bottles, ale in barrels." 

— Byron. 

MISSISSIPPI One glass of brandy, half glass Jamaica 
PUNCH rum, and a tablespoonful of whisky, quar- 
ter of a lemon, and a tablespoonful of powdered sugar, 
and water to taste. Mix well and ice with shaved ice. 
For '' linked sweetness long drawn out," use a straw 
in the tall glass in which it is served, 

'^ Wine and youth are fire upon fire" 

A New Yorker, Tom Lynch by name, and said to 
be " one of the best," has a few words to say in regard 
to drinks in general and cocktails in particular. " The 
only really decent drinks," he says convincingly, " can 
be counted on the fingers of one hand. A good im- 
ported Scotch with the peat-smoke perfume, Medford 
rum — and what a pity it's no longer made! — a dry, 
very dry, Martini cocktail, a Gordon gin rickey, and 

146 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

A Dissertation on Drinks 

the best Irish whisky — those are the best drinks that a 
man can take in this country, or the old country either. 
And, as a matter of fact, it's next to impossible to get 
a cocktail that Is a cocktail In London or anywhere 
else on the other side. 

*' Bottled cocktails? They are a snare and a delu- 
sion. Perfect cocktails are only made with scrupulous 
care in measuring the ingredients. A good many men 
think after a time that they can measure drinks with 
their eye; but that is what does the mischief, for no 
man can do that and have his cocktails absolutely uni- 
form. In mixing cocktails I always use a graduated 
measuring glass which I Invented myself, and in doing 
that I have earned the reputation of always giving a 
man the same cocktail he had yesterday, or last week, 
or a year ago. The most popular drink to-day in New 
York is the ' H. P. W.' cocktail, which was intro- 
duced by Harry Payne Whitney at the Ardsley Club, 
and later at his Adirondack camp; and the good fel- 
lows who were initiated into its seductiveness agreed 
then and there that it should be christened after their 
popular host, so here we have it : " 

'' There's a drink ' on the beam ' for you, lady" 

— Pratt. 

THE "H. P. Mix carefully in a measuring glass one 
W/'COCK- part of Italian vermouth and one part of 
TAIL (jj^ Gordon gin. Add the peel of an orange 

and frappe. 

147 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

A Dissertation on Drinks 

" There Is a new cocktail served in New York at 
Sherry's and Martin's and the Cafe des Ambassadeurs 
which Is appropriately known as ' the Perfect Cocktail.' 
This Is how It Is mixed : " 

PERFECT Mix one part Italian vermouth, one part 
COCKTAIL French vermouth, and one part Gordon 
gin. Add a slice of orange, and frappe. You will 
soon see wherein lies its perfection. 




148 



§g^ 



CHAPTER XV 

The cost of wines Is an important 
factor in entertaining. Many a man 
Is forced to entertain friends of ex- 
pensive tastes on the proverbial 
" champagne taste and beer Income " 
plan. A person who wishes for any 
reason to economize may substitute, 
In almost every case, California or 
other American wines, which cost 
far less than imported. In fact, I 
have known a man who called him- 
self a connoisseur of wines to be de- 
ceived by Cook's Imperial Extra Dry 
to such an extent that he acknowl- 
edged It to be quite as good as 
Mumm's when told the difference. 

Prices are given here by the case 
of one dozen bottles, as In ordering 
wines for home use most people buy 
In dozen lots. The price per bottle 

149 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

What to Pay for Wines 

at a restaurant will not vary greatly from the list 
prices, which are taken from one of the largest im- 
porting houses in America. 



Champagnes. 

DOZEN 

Pommery sec (dry) $31-50 

London Pommery, 1893 48.00 

Vin Nature, brut 3i'50 

Veuve Cliquot dry. Gold Label 31.50 

London Special, ditto 35-oo 

Heidsieck Dry Monopole Extra 30.00 

Pol Roger Brut Special 3 5.00 

Baron R de Luze Dry Comet 25.00 

Perrler Jouet dry creaming 30.00 

Runiart P. et Fils 32.10 

Piper Heidsieck, extra brut 36.00 

G. H. Mumm 32.00 

American Bee Hive dry 15.00 

Cook's Imperial extra dry 13-00 

Great Western extra dry 12.00 

Burgundies. 

Pommard red burgundy (sparkling) $24.00 

Leiden's medium Hock 21.00 

Chauvenet's White Cap 27.00 

Ditto Red Cap 27.00 

Ditto White Cap 27.00 

Bee Hive Burgundy..... 5.00 

Sherries. 

Amontillado, very pale and dry $30.00 

Centennial Medal 25.00 

Oloroso, many years in wood i7-50 

Generoso, pale 10.00 

Manzanilla Pasada 14.00 

150 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

What to Pay for Wines 

DOZEN 

Picarillo $i2.oo 

Bee Hive 4.50 

A De Luze et Fils Clarets. 

Chateau Margaux, 1877 $42.00 

Chateau Lafite, 1898 17.00 

Chateau Larose 15.00 

Chateau Paveil 9.50 

S. S. P. Medoc in wood 5.50 

St. Julien 4.50 

St. Estephe 5.00 

Bee Hive Claret 5.00 

Sunset Claret 4.00 

Sauternes. 

Chateau Yquem $26.00 

Chateau Latour Blanche 19.00 

Haute Sauterne, 1878 i5-50 

Barsac 8.00 

Bee Hive 5-oo 

Sunset Sauterne 4.25 

Burgundies. 

Clos de Vougeot, 1874 $47.00 

Chambertin, 1885 27.00 

Chablis (white) 1893 10.00 

White Cap ultra sec sparkling 27.00 

Red Cap sparkling 27.00 

Pink Cap Oeil de Perdrix sparkling 27.00 

Bouchard's Chambertin 26.50 

Chablis, 2 doz. pints 11.50 

Leiden's Hoch. 

Johannisberger Cabinet yellow seal $24.00 

Rudesheimer 14.00 

Niersteiner 10.00 

Bodenheimer 8.00 

151 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 



What to Pay for Wines 



DOZEN 

Sparkling Hoch $21.00 

Bee Hive Hoch 5.00 

Moselle. 

Berncasteler Doktor $17.00 

Zeltinger 9.00 

Brauneberger 7.75 

Sparkling Moselle 21.00 

Italian. 
Chianti $ 6.50 

Port Wines. 

Old London Dock, 27 years in wood $25.00 

Vintage 1887 30.00 

"Old White" Port 12.50 

Tarragona 7.50 

California 4.50 

Madeiras. 

Lord Nelson $60.00 

Duke of Wellington 40.00 

Old South Side 15.00 

Woodhouse Marsala 8.00 

Tokays ( Hungarian ) . 

Tokayer Imperial, 1866 $30.00 

Tokayer Cabinet, 1868 20.00 

Tokayer Ausbruch dry. 15.00 

Riesling Ausbruch, American 12.00 

Bee Hive 4.50 

In cordials there Is great variety. These after-din- 
ner liqueurs that warm our hearts, even to our enemies, 
come from many lands, and are made from various 
fruits of the earth. 

152 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

What to Pay for Wines 

Of all liqueurs, brandy or eau de vie is the^ founda- 
tion, various ingredients coloring and flavoring it to 
suit the taste. Some of the additions have the merit 
of being great aids to the digestion, as well as being 
pleasant to the palate. Especially is this true of creme 
de menthe, which is King of the Mint family. Dr. 

S , a young Professor of Pathology in the Harvard 

Medical School, has a particular fondness for this cor- 
dial, which several years of university life in Europe 
has only served to strengthen. One day, dropping into 
Martin's in New York for dinner, he ordered the usual 
liqueur after his coffee. The doctor is an absent- 
minded man, and was deep In a reverie when the 
waiter interrupted: 

*' Plain or f rappee, sir? " 

" Let me think," mused the doctor, resting his chin 
in his hand and gazing reflectively into space. 

" Frappee means with ice, sir," volunteered the 
waiter kindly, thinking this silence only the result of 
unfamiliarity with the French language. He had it 
frappeed. 

Benedictine is equally good for digestion, and Mar- 
aschino is not to be despised. Do you know, by the 
way, that the latter is made from cherries and their 
pits? The secrets of the cloisters of the Trappist, 
Benedictine, and Carthusian monasteries would make 
interesting reading on the question of liqueurs, the 
monks possessing secrets that have been handed down 
for centuries. 

153 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

What to Pay for Wines 

Kirchenwasser is made from the wild black cherry 
of the Black Forest. The seductive " Forbidden 
Fruit " is nothing more than grape-fruit cordial, while 
Curagao gains its taste from orange peel. From nearly 
every corner of the globe are gathered flavorings for 
cordials. While the formulas are unnecessary to the 
knowledge of the diner-out, he must be familiar with 
the tastes and know just which is best to follow a cer- 
tain sort of dinner. The question of color is an im- 
portant one, and it is possible even to follow the color 
scheme of a dinner with the various roses, violets, 
greens, yellows, and other shades of liqueurs. 

To the richness and smoothness and other engaging 
qualities of the cordial, cream contributes much. It 
should be rich and heavy, and the glass should be filled 
to within an eighth of an inch, then topped off with 
cream. Try this with eau de vie de Dantzic, creme de 
cacao, or even with Benedictine. It has an elusive 
charm that will make you insist upon having one, per- 
haps even two to follow. 

Sirop de Grenadine Is made from the juice of the 
pomegranate, and is used notably In the concoction of 
the '' Ward Eight " of Boston's Winter Palace Hotel, 
perhaps better known locally as " Frank Locke's." 

Old Medford Rum will soon be but a memory, for 
the manufacture of this famous old throat-tickler has 
ceased after many generations, and the price is cor- 
respondingly high, that of 1858 being $3.00 the bottle, 
and the 1875 bottling $1.40. Jamaica rum is sub- 

154 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

What to Pay for Wines 

stituted by many, and comes at $1.50 the quart for the 
best grade. 

Gins run from 70c. the bottle up to $1.50 for Levert 
& Wlldeman's best, while Booth's Old Tom gin brings 
here about 70c. also. Brook's London Cordial gin is 
a good brand at $1.25 the bottle. 

Brandies should be bought with care, and " the 
best's none too good." Columbian 1800 at $7.00 the 
bottle may be a trifle high for some purses — ^but oh! 
to see it's wonderful flame dancing over your coffee is 
worth sacrificing something else in favor of this. How- 
ever, it may be bought from the old California at $1.00 
the bottle all the way up the scale, with De Luze's 
Blue Seal at $3.75 a most satisfactory medium to 
strike between the two. 

Whiskies ? I won't presume to specify. Every man 
may have his own particular brand, but I'll suggest, 
for an imported Scotch, the Machrinish Niblick brand, 
bottled in Glasgow. It's quite the smoothest Scotch 
I ever tasted, and if " Mountain Dew " is anything 
like that, I'd willingly slumber amid the Scottish hea- 
ther of a summer's night. The Honourable Artillery 
Company of London ordered White Horse in large 
quantities on their homeward voyage — not because one 
of their number was an owner in the company, but 
because they liked it best. Black & WTiite was a close 
second, though, and some affirmed that Dewar's was 
the " rippingest Scotch ever poured." 

For Ryes, the best old Blue Grass may be bought at 

155 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

What to Pay for Wines 

$2.00 the bottle, with Bourbon and Gold Seal close 
rivals. 

When It comes to ales and beers, most men have 
their tastes as w^ell developed as in the w^hiskies, and 
will choose their favorite brand. The imported Ger- 
man beers are quite worth while, but it's hard to beat 
our own Anheuser Busch and " the beer that made 
Milwaukee famous " — Schlitz. 

" To drink and love," said Daphnis, " is my plan ; 
For life is short and I am but a man." 

THE The judging of wines is an important 

JUDGE'S part of every bachelor's education. To 
STAND judge properly is as fine an art as painting 
a picture or composing a poem. The connoisseur des 
vins should be able at once to detect the faults of a 
wine. Wine is like women and song — it has Its faults, 
and is occasionally off the key. That's why the three 
go together. 

When a man says he is an expert judge of wines, 
look out for him. The chances are that the only brands 
he ever tasted are Mumm's and Grandma's Grape 
Juice, claret lemonade, Near-Stein-mit-Sizzler, and 
Hock, and that he wouldn't know sherry from Cheret. 

Nine points for a bachelor to remember in judging 
the juice of the vine are: 

(i) The color. (Blue at the beginning, roseate at 
the ending, and yellow in the morning.) 

156 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

What to Pay for Wines 

(2) The clearness. ("The clearness of the bub- 
bling wine reflected In her eye.") 

(3) The bouquet, (Forget-me-nots, Babies' 
Breath, and Lady-Slippers.) 

(4) The alcoholic strength. (It's strong enough 
to carry you home. ) 

(5) The body. {Gin a body meet a body, comin' 
thro' the Rye.) 

(6) The quality of flavor. (The best wines taste 
of the Mint.) 

(7) The harmony of the different constituents. 
(Ask the United States Senate.) 

(8) In sparkling wines ^ vivacity. (All does not 
glitter that sparkles.) 

(9) The endurance of foam. (" When the foam is 
on the schooner, Molly dear.") 

In France, men are frequently educated as wine 
tasters. In America, this profession Is overcrowded. 
The technicality of taste must not be overlooked. The 
room should be of a temperature not over sixty degrees 
Fahrenheit, with plenty of diffused light. The tem- 
perature at which wines are tasted has a great deal to 
do with bringing out their best qualities. Red wines, 
as Burgundies or clarets, taste best at a temperature 
of sixty to sixty-iive degrees, but white, still wines, such 
as Sauternes and Chablls, are best at fifty to fifty-five 
degrees; sparkling wines from forty to forty-five de- 
grees; and dessert wines at from sixty-five to seventy 
degrees. Too often champagne Is drunk Ice-cold. 

157 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

What to Pay for Wines 

Drinking is one thing and judging is another, and the 
bouquet and other qualities of champagne are never 
brought out so well at a very lov^^ temperature. Never 
ice claret, or serve w^arm, white wines. 

Proper decanting and serving of wines are the most 
important functions of a host. It should be his pride 
that every wine is served in the best possible condition. 
Every bottle should be " candle bright " — ^which means 
that a glass of wine held up against a candle in a dark 
place should be perfectly brilliant. 

In removing a cork from a bottle, use a " reverse 
corkscrew " and extract the cork without the slightest 
movement or shake to the bottle. 

While drawing it off in the decanter, closely watch 
the condition of the wine in the bottle, and stop pour- 
ing as soon as the " cloud," or deposit, approaches the 
neck. This rule applies to Burgundies, ports, and 
clarets, which frequently show crusts or deposits in the 
bottle. 

Still hocks and moselles are generally served without 
decanting. Colored glasses are used for these white 
wines for the reason that the deposits they throw down 
in each bottle are generally of such light specific gravity 
that it is impossible to decant them bright — and colored 
glasses hide these defects. 

It is no longer considered in good taste to fill a 
champagne glass to the brim. Leave about a quarter- 
inch free. Refill a half-emptied glass so as not to lose 
the sparkle, but never overdo the filling-up. 

158 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

What to Pay for Wines 

Englishmen sometimes decant old vintage cham- 
pagnes — but they retain very little effervescence. 

A Londoner volunteers the information that " cham- 
pagne w^hen first Introduced Into Great Britain was as 
a substitute for brandy-and-soda ; hence It was wanted 
dry. In fact, the demands of the English palate may 
be said to be responsible for the dry champagne." 

" Champagne dinner — 
All take warning; 
Cow und Seltzer 
In the morning." 

MORE Syphon bottles are as difficult to handle as 

WISE women. You never know when they're 

COUNSEL going to change their tactics. An inno- 
cent-looking syphon has been known to explode at a 
sudden change in temperature. 

Syphons are generally charged at a pressure of from 
130 to 150 pounds to the square inch. That means 
that if a bottle so charged is allowed to slip from your 
hands, if only for a few feet, the jar is liable to cause a 
dangerous explosion. 

Never grasp a cold syphon with the hand, as the 
sudden change of temperature thus produced is even 
more liable to cause an explosion than a sudden jar. 

Instead of syphons, many bachelors use various car- 
bonated table waters or bottled spring w^aters for use 
in mixing fizzes, high balls, and the like. The benefit 
to one's health derived from the use of such pure waters 

159 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 



What to Pay for Wines 



as White Rock, Poland, Apolllnarls, and Londonderry 
Lithia is being realized more and more. It is a well- 
known fact that such waters, used with white wines and 
champagnes, enhance the bouquet, the delicate flavors, 
and prevent the disagreeable effects of over-indulgence. 




i6o 




CHAPTER XVI 

XJXJ 

Good liquor, I stoutly maintain, gives 
genius a better discerning." — Goldsmith. 

Almost every bachelor Is capable of 
ordering a dream of a dinner — but 
how many are connoisseurs of wines 
to the extent of being able at once to 
select the correct variety, vintage, 
and "bouquet," to accompany it? 

The highest authorities differ upon 
the specification of any regular rou- 
tine of wines for proper service at a 
dinner or other function. But it 
behooves every man who entertains 
much to familiarize himself with the 
various wines and their sequence by 
courses. Many a good dinner is 
spoiled by the ordering of Inferior 
wine or the departure from the pre- 
scribed rules for serving. 

One sees to-day, particularly in 
America, service of champagne alone 

i6i 




A BACHELOR^S CUPBOARD 

Correct Wines for all Occasions 

during a dinner. The nouveau riche frqm the mining 
camp or the oil districts often blows into town with 
the one idea of spending money, and spending It on 
champagne. Whether it is sweet or dry does not 
particularly matter to him, so long as it Is cham- 
pagne. 

Indeed, In England and In some places on the Conti- 
nent one often sees champagne alone served at a dinner, 
but It Is better on general principles to carefully select 
at least one other wine to precede the champagne — In- 
deed, two wines would be better. 

" As a man drinks, so he Is," runs an old proverb. 
A discriminating taste in wines Is easily acquired, and 
custom has laid down a few rules that are easily mas- 
tered in practice. Strictly correct service is that which 
offers with each course a wine which will harmonize 
In flavor and strength, leading the palate gently from 
course to course, and bringing out agreeably the value 
of each succeeding wine. 

'' Thirst makes wine out of water." 
"Run and read:" 

APERITIF The cocktail Is the national aperitif of 
America — Manhattan or Martini being most In favor. 
In England one does not usually consider this com- 
mencement necessary, but on the Continent old Ma- 
deira, very dry sherry, vermouth, or Fernet are offered 
as an " avant diner" 

162 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Correct Wines for all Occasions 

AUX Light white wines, as Rhine and Moselle, 

HUITRES such as Niersteiner, Hocheimer, Rudes- 
OU HORS hefniei- Bordeaux wines such as Sauternes, 
DOEUVRESh,^, Sauternes, Barsac, Graves, etc., and 
white Burgundy or Chablis, are en regie. 

POTAGES Sherry is the favored wine with soup the 
world over. Madeira is equally correct, although not 
so universally used. Of sherry, Amontillado is the 
most popular brand — the rarest wine of Sunny Spain. 

AUX White wines still — but of the heavier vari- 

POISSONS ety, are served with soup at large affairs, 
but at small dinners it is quite correct to keep the sherry, 
or even the wine that was served with the oysters. 
Johannlsberger Cabinet, Steinberger Cabinet, etc., are 
favorite heavy white wines, but there are half a score 
of other varieties quite as good. 

ENTREE Claret, such as S.t. Julien or Medoc, Chi- 
oy anti, or one of the minor Chateau brands, 

REMOVES ^g Chateau Lafitte, are the proper accom- 
paniment to the entree course. 

GAME With the game, Burgundy (red) such as 

Pommard, Chambertin, or Barbera Spumante or Bra- 
chetto SpumantI, should be served. 

DESSERT While here It is scarcely customary to serve 
wines with dessert, other than champagne, at a very 
formal dinner one may order old red wines, such as 
Chateau Larose 1874, Port, still white wines such as 
Chateau Yquem, Italian wines such as Lachrima 

163 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Correct Wines for all Occasions 

Chrlstl, Spanish wines such as Malaga, Swiss cham- 
pagne, or the old wines of any country preferred. 

CAFE With the coffee come the liqueurs, in 

which there is as wide a range as In biscuits. Char- 
treuse, Benedictine, Curasao, cremes of various flavors, 
brandies, " Forbidden Fruit," Amer Pigon, and two 
score more may be chosen from at discretion. In 
France, Amer Pigon or plain cognac burned on sugar 
are most commonly used — ^when, of course, absinthe 
is not substituted. 

In smart houses the custom of serving liqueurs with 
coffee in the drawing-room after dinner Is almost inva- 
riable, but in small establishments the coffee is often 
served at table with the cognac or liqueurs. Frequently 
brandy Is served alone, and Is passed on a silver tray 
In a special decanter with silver top and a silver match- 
box lying beside it. 

For occasions other than dinner, the serving of wine 
Is entirely a matter of taste. With little suppers where 
there are such dishes as terrapin, a very fine quality of 
Madeira is delectable, as it is with any rich dish served 
In this fashion. The finest Hungarian Tokay served 
with sweet biscuit Is the correct wine to serve after an 
evening of cards, where It is not desirable to serve any- 
thing more substantial. 

It Is a fad with some people to pour old wines di- 
rectly from the bottle, that the guests may appreciate 
what they are drinking. This Is not advisable, as 
wines old In bottle always form a great deal of de- 

164 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Correct Wines for all Occasions 

posit, and this when shaken injures both taste and ap- 
pearance of wines. If a host's wine will not stand de- 
canting, then he would better not serve it. 

When claret is the one wine at dinner, It is served 
with the course after the fish, whatever It may be. 
Claret is too acid a wine to go well with sea-food of 
any description. 

Neither claret nor Burgundy contains sufficient alco- 
hol to keep its flavor more than twenty-four hours 
after decanting. 

GLASSES Fancy runs riot In the selection of wine- 
glasses. From the plain crystal to the fanciful Vene- 
tian or Austrian glasses, with their wondrous coloring 
and shapes that an orchid might envy, there Is a wide 
choice. But unless a bachelor has a mint of money, 
he had best eschew colored and fanciful glasses and 
hold to the thin, clear glass, or perhaps finely-cut glass, 
as plain as possible. He should have for water, mint 
juleps, and the like, a goblet of regulation size. A 
punch glass holding two to the pint comes next In 
grade, and then a glass holding three to the pint for 
hot whiskies, sours, etc. The saucer-shaped champagne 
glass Is the most artistic, although the hollow stem Is 
equally popular — possibly more so. Cocktail glasses, 
special sherry glasses, and glasses for clarets and sau- 
ternes with green or red bowls as fancy dictates are 
necessary to the menage, and the list ends with glasses 
for pousse cafes and cordials, " pony " glasses for 
brandy, beer goblets — unless he elects to use the steins 

165 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 
Correct Wines for all Occasions 

of his college days — and lemonade glasses for those 
mixed " ladles' delights," etc. 

The bachelor who has a menage will have his side- 
board well stocked with the necessary decanters, cor- 
dial sets, etc., but for the impecunious bachelor or he 
who lives in his studio nothing more handy was ever 
invented than the " Bachelor's Cabinet," with its ac- 
companiment of decanters, mixing glasses, tiny ice-box, 
and all the requisites for a convivial evening at home. 

Even when one is reduced to standing his beer bot- 
tles outside on the window ledge to cool and has to 
dust furtively the steins he has taken from their hooks, 
he need not deplore the lack of more expensive bever- 
ages or the absence of cut glass and champagne. It's 
not so much what one drinks as with whom and where 
he drinks it. 

'^'^ You look at what I drink, and not at my thirst" 

ON How often does a man hasten to '' put 

SERVING beer on ice " when a friend drops in of an 
BEER evening? Yet this is contrary to cus- 

tom in the Old World, where one frequently sees the 
German sit for a few moments with his hand about 
his glass to bring the contents to the proper tempera- 
ture before drinking. 

Beer should not be served very cold, as excessive 
chilliness destroys the fine flavor it should have and 
renders it injurious. Beer should not be served di- 

i66 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Correct Wines for all Occasions 

rectly after it has been shaken in any manner. Set it 
in the ice-box, if you like, but do not, I implore you, 
put it directly upon the ice. It's a fine drink, as Dan 
Daly affirmed in his song: 

*' Beer, beer, glorious beer! 
Fill yourselves right up to here (me neck)! 
Down wid a pail of it! 
Drink a good dale of it I — 
Glorious, glorious beer ! ' ' 

Let us suppose that four people are dining at a res- 
taurant, and that with oysters or soup, fish, game, and 
a salad and dessert, they wish wines to the number of 
two, fairly good, instead of a larger number at a lower 
price. The dinner will begin with four cocktails, of 
course, at 25c. each in most cafes. Then to follow, 
for the soup and fish, let the sherry be Amontillado old 
dry at $2.00 the bottle. To follow with the game, 
let Burgundy be the choice, say, " White Cap " ultra 
sec sparkling, which will be $2.50 more, although one 
may substitute Romance at $1.50, if he elects. Cor- 
dials or cognac may follow at 20c. per head — and the 
wine bill will foot up just a trifle over or under $6.00, 
as the case may be. 

At the next table, suppose four people whose pocket- 
books are not quite so long are dining in the same 
fashion. Let them order, besides the cocktails, a pale 
Generoso sherry at $1.00 the bottle, or even a good 
California sherry at 75c. the bottle, to be followed by 

167 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Correct Wines for all Occasions 

a quart of Great Western Champagne at $1.25, or a 
quart of Beehive Burgundy at 75c., and cordials as 
elected. The cocktails and cordials cost the same, but 
for from $1.50 to $2.00 the impecunious party may 
make merry over their wine In the same fashion as 
their neighbors — and go home with clearer heads Into 
the bargain. This is an important Item, for poor peo- 
ple generally have to show up the next morning over 
a desk or behind a counter, so the condition of one's 
head Is of grave importance. 

If three wines are wanted by the " party of the first 
part," let the sherry and Burgundy be followed by a 
good, dry champagne. 

For sake of variety, Madeira might be substituted 
for the Burgundy, especially if the third course be an 
entree. But after all. If It's to be game, there's nothing 
better to accompany the bird than rare old Burgundy, 
with its pleasant sparkle and roseate hue. 

The Callfornian takes great pride in the wine of his 
State. In San Francisco, where were, perhaps, aside 
from New York, the finest restaurants on the conti- 
nent, one seldom saw imported wine drunk unless It 
be sherries and champagnes, and, perhaps, Burgundies. 
But after all, the native wines are tempting enough, 
and the sparkling Moselle of California is excellent 
indeed, and often substituted for champagne. At 
Zinkand's, Tait's, the Techau Tavern, The Poodle 
Dog, and the Palace Grill were the finest of cellars, 
and the wines of California were served three times 

168 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Correct Wines for all Occasions 

where the Imported were called for once. As for apri- 
cot brandy — there's no better in the world than that 
of Southern California. 

If one elects to serve champagne alone at his dinner 
party, then let it be very dry. Some like, by way of 
variety, to serve champagne-cup throughout the meal. 
But tell it not in Kentucky — for if anyone dares there 
to prefer anything to a great glass pitcher of mint julep, 
he gets himself very much disliked in the Blue Grass 
country. 

Nations differ in their mode of using wines. 

The French take theirs at dinner, and use only 
enough to make conversation sparkle like their own 
wines. 

The Germans sit early and late, and the Russians 
are only a little more moderate. The Spanish and 
Italians strike a happy medium, while the Englishman, 
who formerly adopted French and German methods 
combined, is more temperate; inebriety has gone out of 
fashion in England, and as for Americans, they are 
perhaps as a whole less addicted to the use of wines 
than any other nation; but those who do drink them, 
drink heartily. They drink merrily, withal, and are 
decided contrasts to the English, who, as old Froissart 
was wont to declare, " do get drunk very sorrowfully." 

A Frenchman will take first his oysters and a glass 
of Pontac or Chablls. Then his potage is followed 
by a glass of good '' vin ordinaire f^ such as Magon ; 
and after the first course is taken away he commonly 

169 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Correct Wines for all Occasions 

pours a very small glass of Madeira, rum, or some- 
thing similar. Whatever other wine his fancy dic- 
tates follovi^s — as in France it is posible to obtain the 
finest of wines by the glass. 

At private dinners in Russia the wines are often 
placed upon the tables, which are free from dinner 
service. The guests pour their own wines, or have 
them poured by the servant, according to their fancy. 
The plats de jour are on side tables, and the guests are 
presented with a carte du jour, so that each may order 
the servant to bring whatever most pleases his fancy. 

In most other European countries, in good society, 
the French mode is imitated closely in variety of wines 
and the mode of taking them. 

In countries where ice is not easily obtainable a cu- 
rious fashion of cooling white wines is followed. The 
decanter is hung up in a flannel bag that has previously 
been well soaked in water, in the full glare of the sun's 
rays where there is a strong "^ courant d'air/* The 
consequent evaporation by keeping the bag dripping 
wet cools the wine almost to freezing point. The 
water of a covered well or spring, fresh drawn, in 
which a pound or two of salt is thrown, will reduce 
the temperature of wine to a low and agreeable point. 
The Italians still hold to the old custom of lowering 
the dinner wine into a well an hour or two before use, 
which generally renders its temperature just right. 

Where expense be no object, freezing mixtures may 
be used. Eleven parts of sal ammoniac, dry and pow- 
dered, ten of nitre, sixteen of Glauber salts, and thirty- 

170 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Correct Wines for all Occasions 

two of water, will cool wine sufficiently in any cli- 
mate — but the operation should be carried on in the 
coolest place possible. 

The effect of atmospheric cold in winter often ren- 
ders a bottle of wine cloudy. This may be remedied by 
placing it in a room where there is a good fire for an 
hour or two before serving. 

In decanting sherry or Madeira, the stoppers of the 
decanters should be left out for an hour or two, but 
this should never be done with light and delicate wines, 
as their bouquet and freshness are visibly affected by 
contact with the air. 

The specific gravity of the wine and the glass should 
harmonize ; therefore all delicate wines should be taken 
from the thinnest of glasses. This modern preference 
for thin glasses has precedent in the passion of the an- 
cients for particular wine cups. The " murrhine cup " 
from which emperors and kings drank their Falernian 
wine is noticed in writings which remain. Often the 
cups were of finest glass from Egypt, or amber, flasks 
made in Syria, amethystine cups, and vases of gold. 

Some persons affirm that to really enjoy wine, a sip 
of cold water should first be taken, after which the 
taste will be at its best. One cannot but sympathize 
with poor Sir Walter Scott, who, it is said, was singu- 
larly insensible to tastes and odors, A perfect palate 
is indeed a rare gift of nature. A healthy palate comes 
from a healthy digestion, and is the best gift for judg- 
ing the existing flavor of wine. 

George the Fourth had so decided a preference for 

171 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Correct Wines for all Occasions 

sherry that In his day It was the favorite wine, and 
nearly ousted Madeira from Its place In English tastes. 
Gypsum sprinkled over the grapes while In the vat 
saturate the malic acid and give sherry Its brown color. 
Amontillado Is the finest of sherries, and at Its prime 
kept In wood for sixteen years. It Is too dry for the 
taste of common wine drinkers, but Is one of the finest 
growths In the world. 

The best Madeiras have no tendency to acidity, and 
the finest East Indian Madeira is a wine that has 
scarcely an equal. 

Marsala, the favorite wine of Sicily, is excellent; 
other Sicilian wines are Mazzara, Bronte, and Etna, 
but Marsala Is more worthy and especially well adapted 
for cooking, in Italian sauces. 

The Rhenish wines are the purest and most whole- 
some wines, say some experts. Most of them come 
from the banks of the Rhine and Moselle Rivers, in 
Germany, and the variety Is legion. Genuine German 
wines have a bouquet like the French, which Is In Itself 
a mark of pure growth. The real golden Rhenish 
wines, such as NIerstelner, Marcobrunner, and Riides- 
helmer, are famous, while Johannlsberger and Geissen- 
helmer are perfect In delicacy and aroma. '' Good 
hoch," the German proverb runs, " keeps off the doc- 
tor." It enlivens without Inebriating, strengthens and 
warms the stomach pleasantly. 

Burgundies are the finest red wines In the world for 
delicacy, flavor, perfume, richness, and purity. A man 

172 



\ 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

CorrectWines for all Occasions 

of discriminating taste will pay as much for Burgundy 
as for champagne, and not hesitate to announce his 
preference for the former. 

Bordeaux clarets, when unadulterated, are delicate, 
and are consumed in great quantity. Lafitte, Latour, 
Haut-Brion, and Chateau Margaux ere among the 
popular brands, but there are a hundred and one varie- 
ties that are passing good. Good claret has a remarkable 
freshness of taste and smell. Many of them come, in 
France, under the head of ^' vin ordinaire/' but are by 
no means to be despised. Indeed, in the Quartier Latin 
in Paris there are scores of restaurants where the vin 
ordinaire at one or two sous a glass is drunk and en- 
joyed by the students of all nations with equal jouis- 
sance. Ordinarily it is mixed with water, either plain 
or mineral. For twenty-five centimes, or five cents, a 
pint bottle may be had, and no dejeuner or diner is 
complete without this, at least, provided one's pocket- 
book will not admit of a better wine. 

Champagnes — " king's wine " — are of several varie- 
ties: the still or " non-mousseux," the effervescing or 
" mousseux," and the " grand-Mousseux " or highly 
effervescent. Champagne is an enduring wine, with 
a '' bouquet exquis'* The creaming champagne of the 
Ai sends up myriad bubbles, but never froths, and is 
preferred by those of discriminating taste to that which 
is frothy. Cheap champagnes are most injurious to 
the stomach, and have none of the qualities of the 
better classes. Champagne, once received, should never 

173 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Correct Wines for all Occasions 

be moved until it is wanted for table use. Great heat 
or cold is unfavorable in keeping it, and the tempera- 
ture should be carefully attended to. 

Sauternes, v^^ines of the Gironde, are white wines 
of considerable repute. They are bottled from the 
wood after seven or eight years, and are excellent 
dinner wines, particularly the Haut Sauterne. It is 
advisable in purchasing Sauterne to get that of the 
best quality. 

Sweet wines or dessert wines are not so much drunk 
as formerly, liqueurs being substituted for these '' vins 
de liqueurs y' as the French term them. The Musca- 
dines, Frontignacs, and Lunals of the south of France, 
Lachryma Christi of Naples, sweet Syracuse and 
Cyprus, made between Paphos, Olympus, and Limasol, 
where is the great wine mart, are favorite sweet wines. 

It is not every bachelor who can boast a wine cellar ; 
indeed, save for one possessed of more than ordinary 
wealth, a cellar is an expensive luxury. The bachelor 
of Gray's Inn stored his wine under his bed, " because 
it would be drunk fast." A Devonshire esquire who 
loved wine " better than anything but his horse," 
stowed his wines in a corner cupboard near his spa- 
cious fireplace, with dire result; and a Scot who pur- 
chased a dozen bottles of choice vintage cellared them 
in a cock-loft for a special evening at home with 
friends. When evening was advanced, not dreaming 
that his dozen were drunk out, he called his Jeannie 
to bring " another bottle of No. 5." " I wonder what 

174 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Correct Wines for all Occasions 

ye mean ! " retorted Jeannie In surprise. " I ha' 
fetched down from the cock-loft the last bottle of the 
dozen ye had, an' ye maun noo go tae the whuskey." 

This Is a jaunt around Robin Hood's Barn to ex- 
plain the necessity of proper care and housing of wine. 
If one has not the proper place to store It at the right 
temperature he had best order It dally or when wanted 
from his dealer's cellars. Wine Is truly an expensive 
taste to cultivate, and Its deterioration under unfavor- 
able conditions Is too well known to comment upon. 

In a city house, the even temperature of a brick-bound 
cellar Is the best one can expect. Sweet wines may be 
kept at a temperature of sixty degrees. 

*^ A wine cellar too hot or too cold 
Murders wine before ifs old" 

There are various peculiarities In wine which may be 
detected by the true connoisseur, A few of the " stock 
terms " of the wine merchant may be given here by 
way of explanation : 

Green — New wine. 

Stalky — ^Wlne affected with the astrlngency of the 
vine wood. 

Bouquet — A peculiar odor, not of distinct char- 
acter. 

Fruity — Commonly sweetened port. 

Veloute — Velvety to the tongue. Smooth or soft. 

FuMEAUX — ^Wlnes of great strength. 

MoNTANT— ^Those in which the carbonic acid gas 
affects the head. 

175 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Correct Wines for all Occasions 

Ferme — Durable; unlikely to change. 

Event — In France, dead wine. 

Vino Morto — In Italian, the same. 

FiNiR Bien — ^Wines past probability of a change. 
Lasting. 

Pateux — A thick, clammy wine. 

Plat — Flat. 

Seve — ^Applies to flavor in tasting, as bouquet to the 
smell. 

ViN BoURRU — ^Thick, unfermented wine. 

CuvEE — Contents of a vat at the vintage. 

ViN CuiT — French "^ 

Vino Cotto — Italian > Boiled wine. 

Vino de Color — Spanish J 

Vino Seco — Dry wine. 

Vino Brozno — Harsh wine. 

ViNS de Liqueur — Sweet, luscious wines. 

Vino Passado — The best wine that has passed mus- 
ter or examination. 

Vinotero — A wine seller. 




176 



pRlKKS 



mc 



CHAPTER XVII 

There are many occasions upon 
which one does not wish to offer 
alcoholic drinks, out of respect to 
guests who do not indulge in them — 
or possibly because the host may him- 
self abstain from their use. 

There are many substitutes from 
which delicious drinks may be mixed, 
such as ginger ales, mineral waters of 
various sorts, grape juices, and con- 
centrated fruit syrups. One may soon 
become as expert in concocting palata- 
ble drinks from various combinations 
as the white-coated lad behind the 
soda-fountain. A quarter or a shin- 
ing half dollar slipped in his hand 
will often bring suggestions for 
" parlor mixtures " that will aid the 
novice considerably in preparing his 
menu. 

Besides mineral waters, carbonated 

177 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 



Temperance Drinks 



or plain, as preferred, there are domestic and imported 
ginger ales, bottled lemonades of claret, pineapple, 
orange, and raspberry flavors to be bought, as well as 
Green Ginger Cordial, Montserrat Lime Juice, and 
raspberry vinegars, with fruit syrup of any desired 
flavor. Combined with iced tea, coffee, or cocoa, some 
of these fruit flavors are delicious. Root beer is a mid- 
summer beverage that is not only refreshing, but pos- 
sesses medicinal powers; and iced ginger ale served 
with a cream rabbit makes a temperate combination 
that is almost as toothsome as the ale-mixed variety. 

" Water, water everywhere, nor any drop to drink! " 

GINGER is a mild drink that is little known; try 
LEMON- it. Have in a glass a teaspoon ful of pow- 
"^^ dered sugar, add to it the juice of half a 

lemon and fill the glass with ginger ale that is well 
iced. 

SODA This is a most innocent drink, despite 

COCKTAIL its name, and one that a two-year-old may 
not hesitate to imbibe. Fill up a long glass, then, with 
lemon soda, the bottled variety, and in it dash a little 
raspberry syrup, and top off with a thin slice of orange. 
FARMER'S Mayhap you may be going to have a real, 
DELIGHT old-fashioned country picnic, at which 
rural dainties are served. They deserve to be washed 
down with the delight of the farmer, who swallows 
copious drafts of this in the hayfield on a hot July 

178 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Temperance Drinks 

afternoon. It's nothing less than the " sweetened 
water " with which Plupy Shute regaled his friends 
up in Exeter in the days when the " Real Boy " penned 
that famous diary. Water is the basis, ginger the 
flavor, and molasses the sweetener. They are mixed 
to taste in a great stone jug, which is corked and set 
in a convenient brook to keep cool. 

LEMON- " Pooh ! " I hear you say in disgust. *' As 
ADE if any man couldn't make lemonade without 

being told." But as this book may fall into the hands of 
a Hottentot or Malay or some other hot-house variety 
of bachelor, I will set down the proportion of the 
ji)ice of a lemon to two tablespoonfuls of sugar and 
one-half pint of water as being a desirable one. This 
may be varied by using the juice of orange, lime, or 
grape-fruit, in which case, of course, it will be the 
other sort of Ade (not Hoosier). 

An abuse of ice at once destroys the effect desired, 
besides being dangerous. A liquid set on ice and slowly 
chilled is far more to be recommended than the drink 
in which ice floats, but it is not everyone who will 
admit this truth. Than plain lemonade, made from 
the juice of the lemon, sweetened sparsely w^ith sugar 
and diluted with water, and finally cooled on ice, there 
is no drink more acceptable and cooling in the heat of 
the day. It ranks before the long list of acidulated 
drinks and gaseous mineral waters, but it, too, falls 
into disrepute when too liberally imbibed. It is said 

179 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Temperance Drinks 

to be lowering in its effects, but such an assertion is 
nonsense, unless, as is said, it is drunk too freely. 

Taking the average, it would seem the plainer drinks 
have a larger share of popularity, and soda and milk 
is one of the very first favorites. To be perfect it re- 
quires a can of ice to be placed in the milk and that the 
soda should have lain for some time on the ice block. 
These are the simplest, perhaps best, and certainly 
cheapest of the drinks made at home by the unskilled 
amateur. 




1 80 



CHAPTER XVIII 

" Costly tliy kabit as thy purse can buy. 
But not expressed in fancy; ricb, not 

gaudy ; 
For tbe apparel oft claims a man." 

— Shakespeare. 

Once it " took nine tailors to make 
a man," and no less a person than 
Byron vouched for this ancient He. 
Nowadays, It takes a Man as Is a 
Man to make a Tailor, and a Fat 
Bank Account to pay him. 

It Is not the province of the writer 
to presume to lay down hard and fast 
rules for the dress of the bachelor. 
It Is granted that he knows best how 
he would dress, according to his sta- 
tion. As a " London tradesman In a 
dress suit reminds one of a doyley on 
a stove lid," clothes have un-made the 
man quite as often as they've made 
him. King Edward, who Is taken as a 

i8i 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Correct Clothes 

model of civilized dress from Singapore to Sitka, dis- 
plays common sense and judgment that every bachelor 
may do well to emulate, especially in the matter of 
jewelry. '' Rarely does the king wear more than one 
finger ring," says a London haberdasher's journal. A 
profusion of jewelry is unequivocally vulgar in a man, 
even though it may indicate wealth. 

To hit the happy medium between Frenzied Fashion 
and Moldy Modes, adapt the prevailing style of dress 
to your bearing and manner. To do this is to be mas- 
ter of one of the fine arts. Study, therefore, your 
apparel that it may be fit for function and form. An 
ill-fitting coat is a crime against good taste. First, 
have your clothes fit you; then fit your clothes, that 
they " shall not make a false report." " Mark Twain " 
has said that " one cannot tell from the looks of a 
frog how far it can jump," but more often than not a 
man is judged by the clothing he wears. Whether 
they are built in the Rue de la Paix, New Bond Street, 
Fifth Avenue, or Sutter Street, does not particularly 
matter, so long as they fit. The unskilled cloth 
butchers of the West End of London have made many 
a man look like a suit of pajamas on an umbrella 
stand. 

Togs that become one man may make another re- 
semble a mongrel in a fancy blanket. As plaids were 
invented for the rail-bird, stripes for the jail-bird, and 
tweeds for Tammany Hall, so do various other less 

182 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Correct Clothes 

pronounced styles adapt themselves to the various pur- 
suits and professions. The fitness of clothes is quite 
as important as the fit, and the bachelor who devotes a 
little time and thought to his apparel will soon be as 
fit as possible. 

" Be not vain of thy covering," and remember that 
" it's the man beneath the clothes " that counts with 
most people. One meets occasionally a man who, like 
Adam, " doesn't give a fig what he wears." But cus- 
tom and climate combine to give him a certain respon- 
sibility in the matter, although he's generally the sort 
of fellow whose apparel doesn't concern people so long 
as he wears something. 

There's a happy medium between a dandy and a 
" Dirty Dick," and he who strikes it is to be congratu- 
lated, for none shall dare say, like Coriolanus, that 
you are " a fool in good clothes." 

^' A smart coat is a good letter of introduction f 

BUT 
'' A slovenly dress betokens a careless mind." 
*' Fashion is more powerful than any tyrant" 

The Londoner has the reputation of being the best 
dressed man in the world. Search for him not in the 
City, where silk hats and tan shoes are at either end of 

183 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Correct Clothes 

the same man, with a short-tailed coat and a bulldog 
pipe between. Rather In Mayfair, the Pall Mall 
clubs, and the Piccadilly promenade this glassi of 
fashion Is to be found. 

Mrs. Dr. Grundy has prescribed the following tab- 
lets which are taken by the patient before each func- 
tion with good result. It may be added that any at- 
tempt to keep up In motoring fashions will result In 
insanity or inebriety. Fashion shows herself fickle 
Indeed In this raiment, and what is new to-day Is old 
to-morrow. For other occasions, however, the tabu- 
lated form is sufficiently correct, regardless of seasons. 

" They eat and drink and scheme and plod 
And go to church on Sunday; 
And go to church on Sunday; 
But more of Mrs. Grundy." 

" There is fashion in all things, as in dogs going to 
church/* 

MOURN- A man wears mourning for a parent, sls- 
ING FOR ter, or brother for six months or a year, as 
•^ he prefers. The crape hatband Is adopted 

for this dress, but should be much narrower than that of 
a widower. First mourning consists of complete suits of 
black, dull black leather shoes, black gloves, and cuff- 
links of black enamel. Second mourning should be 
gray or black clothes, black and white silk ties, gray or 
black gloves, and black and white linen. Men do not, 

184 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 
Correct Clothes 

as a rule, carry black-bordered handkerchiefs. Few 
men wear mourning for grandparents or other rela- 
tives. The wearing of a black band on the coat sleeve 
is condemned by the best people. It is a custom bor- 
rowed from England, where it was originally intro- 
duced for liveried servants whom it was not thought 
necessary to fit out in complete black liveries. The 
worst thing about a band is that it is unclassifiable, 
since a man may wear it for a near or a distant rela- 
tive. If a man cannot afford or does not approve of 
mourning, then he should abjure the entire livery of 
grief, for the compromise of a black band betrays a 
painfully economical mind. 

After mourning, a man may resume his social duties 
in from three weeks to two months. While wearing 
a broad band on his hat for a near relative a man should 
not attend the theater, opera, or a ball. 

THE " The Tuxedo coat is no longer used as a 

TUXEDO dinner coat except at a stag dinner, at a 
club or hotel, or at an informal at-home dinner when 
only the members of one's family attend, or at the 
house where one boards. It may be worn at the thea- 
ter or for an evening call, when women are not to be 
met. In fact, it is considered a lounging jacket, only 
one degree removed from a smoking jacket, and should 
not be worn when women are present except at home. 
The waistcoat worn with a Tuxedo should be of light 
gray linen." As this is from a noted English author- 

185 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Correct Clothes 

ity, it may be regarded by a man who wishes to be 
thoroughly English in his dress; but in America the 
Tuxedo is very generally worn, especially in hotels, 
informal family dinners, and to the theater — in fact, 
upon all occasions when the regulation clawhammer 
is not strictly demanded. 




i86 




"Tke first thing a poor gentleman calls 
for of a morning is a needle and ttread." 

— Scotch 

"His lordstip finds tte vjJet de chambre 
a necessary evil." 

"As a man dresses, so iste esteemed." 

Happy the man who, having a valet, 
has no care of his clothes, and " takes 
no heed to his raiment " save to be 
thoroughly up-to-date in every re- 
spect. 

The man v^ho knows how to take 
care of his own clothes is at an ad- 
vantage; for even though it be not 
necessary for him to economize, an 
occasional emergency may arise in 
which, if he knows just what to do, 
he may rescue his apparel from cer- 
tain ruin. As " a stitch in time saves 
nine," so does prompt attention to a 
chance stain or splash from the ink 
bottle save a suit from being spoiled. 

187 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

How a Man May Valet Himself 

The impecunious bachelor generally cares for his 
own clothing during his spare time, and often looks 
quite as well groomed as the man who pays his valet 
forty a month and " found." There are various handy 
devices on the market to assist him, notably the " ward- 
robe chair," which provides for keeping the trousers 
well creased and disposing of his business suit over 
night, as well as furnishing a boot-black stand. 

A little care only is necessary to make a man look 
well set up. He should keep his hats in separate boxes 
when not wearing them. If a coat is nicely brushed 
upon being taken off, if trousers are carefully kept 
creased through the medium of the wardrobe chair or 
the patent hangers which may be purchased for a few 
cents, If gloves are carefully smoothed when taken off, 
and if a watchful care is lavished upon buttons and 
linen to prevent the one's being lost and the other 
frayed and ragged — even the bachelor of the hall bed- 
room may be nicely groomed and always neat. 

" He who has but one coat cannot lend it," goes the 
old proverb. It Is for the benefit of the man with one 
coat that many of the following rules for cleansing are 
given, in the hope that they may aid the impecunious 
bachelor in keeping himself tidy. 

For a dime the bachelor may buy a box of patent 
trousers buttons that are warranted not to pull off. 
These are attached In various ways, but one of the best 
has little prongs that push through the cloth and bend 
down on the inside. 

i88 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

How a Man May Valet Himself 

If one has little room, a box couch is a great conven- 
ience, for clothing may be kept in it and laid flat with- 
out wrinkling. It is thus better kept from dust than in a 
closet, and may serve in summer as a receptacle for win- 
ter clothing. It is economy in the end to have one's fur 
cap or fur-lined coat stored by a furrier, who will in- 
sure and protect against moths for a trifling sum. But 
in case one lives miles from a furrier and is obliged to 
care for it himself, directions are included for stor- 
ing such clothes with camphor. Cedar branches laid 
among clothes will keep away moths, or if one has a 
cedar chest, so much the better. 

Men never seem to be very handy in mending their 
own underclothing and linen. It is nearly always pos- 
sible to arrange with one's laundress to do the weekly 
mending before the laundry is put in the water. If 
this is neglected, the tear generally makes great head- 
way, and sometimes ruins the article beyond mend- 
ing. 

A couple of ticking laundry bags are great conven- 
iences. One may send his laundry away in one while 
the other hangs on the closet door and serves during 
the week as a receptacle for soiled clothes. 

One of the average bachelor's greatest expenditures 
is for hosiery. Have any of you ever heard a man say, 
" Oh, I never bother about having stockings mended ; 
when they are too bad to wear I throw 'em away"? 
Changing the hose once a day or every other day and 
keeping them nicely mended means a great saving in 

189 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

How a Man May Valet Himself 

the end. And mending stockings Isn't half so difficult 
as it sounds. Try and see. 

CLEANING With many a man the " tyranny of ties " 
TIES Is so great as to be all-absorbing. Some 

men hang their ties and stocks on the nickel rods that 
come for the purpose all ready to screw Inside the 
closet door or beside the chiffonier. Others, who are 
mindful of the ravages of dust, keep them laid flat in 
a drawer of the chiffonier. Who has not had a favor- 
ite tie which he hated for some reason, sentimental or 
otherwise, to discard ? Many a worn tie may be made 
almost as good as new if these directions are followed: 
Take a weak solution of borax and carefully sponge the 
tie with that. Sponge moderately lengthwise, with, not 
against, the grain, then press out with a warm iron on 
the wrong side only. White or cream silk or satin 
ties that have been cleansed and are yet too good to 
throw away miay be dyed any desired shade at a trifling 
cost. Any grease spots on silk or satin would best be 
removed by benzine. Some use chloroform or ether, 
but either Is likely to leave a ring around the spot that 
has been sponged, so benzine Is, on the whole, more 
satisfactory. 

TO Often an overcoat, that Is otherwise In 

RENEW A good condition, Is rendered unsightly and 
VELVET shabby by its collar. If It be crushed 
badly and wrinkled, heat the flatiron, and 
put bottomside up on the table. Over It put a clean 
rag wet In cold water and lay the velvet collar right 

I go 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

How a Man May Valet Himself 

side up over this. While the steam from the wet cloth 
rises through the nap of the velvet, brush with a soft 
hat brush, being careful to brush the " right way of the 
velvet." This restores it beautifully, and makes it 
good as new. 

TO Put the gloves on. Have in a saucer 

CLEAN some gasolene and wash your gloved hands 
in this, after which take a clean flannel 
rag and wipe and rub the gloves, taking care 
not to do this near a fire or burning gas. When quite 
dry, take off and pin to the curtain or where a current of 
air may strike them and cause the gasolene to evapo- 
rate quickly. This answers for white glace gloves, 
but white suede are better cleansed by a professional 
cleaner. Pipe-clay and an old toothbrush are com- 
monly used, and white cloth used on uniforms is 
cleansed in the same fashion. The clay is applied dry, 
then moistened and rubbed vigorously with the tooth- 
brush. It may at first look unsightly, and you may 
think the goods is ruined. But rinse the brush and 
scour the cloth with clean water, dry, and it will look 
fresh as when newly bought. 

PUTTING When packing away flannels and heavy 

AWAY winter clothing, camphor gum wrapped in 

\VlNlbR pieces of tissue paper put among the goods 
CLOTHING : 11 , XT 

is warranted to keep away moths. JNo 

soiled clothing should be put away, as dirt attracts 

moths and buffalo bugs. Even perspiration stains 

under the arms will often attract them. The clothing 

191 



A BACHELOR'S C IT P B O A R D 

How a Man May Valet Himself 

should, If possible, be hung out for a day In the air 
and sunlight before packing away. To prevent creas- 
ing and wrinkling, which Is so annoying, take old news- 
papers and lay them, without opening, between the 
folds. If there are few things In the trunk or chest, 
the remaining space should be filled with crumpled 
newspapers. 

TO Purchase from a druggist some soap-bark, 

CLEAN and In the proportion of an ounce of bark 
A COAT ^Q ^ quart of water steep the bark and let 
It stand over night. Then strain and add an equal 
amount of gasolene. Rub this mixture on the wrist- 
bands and collar of the coat, using a new clsan brush. 
Go over all the grease spots, and wet the brush In the 
mixture and go over the entire coat. If the goods has 
any " right way of the cloth," rub with the twill. 
Stretch the sleeves and pocket holes and collar, and be 
careful to keep the entire coat In proper shape. Spread 
out smooth and flat on a clean cloth on the table, or, If 
available, an Ironing board. Lay a towel over the 
coat, and with a hot Iron press It carefully Into the 
desired shape. After It Is dry, brush carefully to re- 
move any lint, and hang It, buttoned, over a coat 
hanger. 

TO Many a good coat has been discarded be- 

REMOVE cause of the persistent shine on collar, from 
GLOSS leaning against a chair or on elbows. 

r^r^.K'Y Make a saturated solution of powdered 

borax and water, and apply to shiny places 

192 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

How a Man May Valet Himself 

with a sponge. Rub on thoroughly, then wipe off with 

clear water in the same manner. 

TO Sponge on the wrong side with cool water 

RENEW and press with a warm iron until smooth. 

SILK This should make the silk stiffer and 

MUFFLERS , . , 

brighter. 

While every man, however anxious he may be to 
valet himself, may balk when it comes to doing his 
own boots, a few " how to do's " along this line may 
not come amiss. For there are times when the ranch- 
man or prospector or camper wants to ride to town 
with immaculate shoe leather, or perhaps he elects to 
" go to a dance," and is fifty miles from a bootblack. 
Then let him read : 

A fine ointment for boots which keeps the leather 
from cracking and preserves it well is made in this 
fashion : Take four ounces of lard, four ounces of olive 
oil, and one ounce of caoutchouc, and melt together 
over a slow fire until thoroughly mixed. Moisten the 
sole of the boot with water and warm it before the fire. 
Then smear this ointment over the sole and the top 
of the boot. This, when exposed to snow or rain, will 
be absolutely impervious to dampness, and makes the 
life of a boot that is used in mud or snow twice as long. 

To remedy tight shoes, one may adopt either of the 
two following plans: After lacing the shoe, wet a 
folded cloth in boiling hot water and put over the part 
of the shoe that pinches. Or pour into a wash basin 
water as hot as can be borne and put the foot in it, 

193 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

How a Man May Valet Himself 

working the toes about in the shoe and making it con- 
form to the shape of the foot as the leather expands. 
This will not injure patent leather, but it is a good 
plan to rub over with vaseline or petroleum jelly on a 
flannel rag after wetting. This nearly always gives 
instantaneous relief from pinching shoes. 

For tan shoes, banana peelings possess some coloring 
matter and tannic acid that seems essential in polish- 
ing red leather. Rub the inside of the peel on the shoe 
and polish with a flannel rag. This gives the best 
of results. 

To dry wet shoes quickly when one is far from a shoe- 
tree, put some small pebbles or gravel in a pan and heat, 
not too hot, and fill the shoes with them. It may be 
necessary to repeat the process. 

To restore the softness of leather that has been wet, 
rub the shoes with kerosene oil, pinching the leather 
and working it between the fingers as you do so. 

Rubber boots should be dried carefully, and when 
they become wet inside they need heroic treatment. 
Have a peck of oats, or, failing these, coarse sand, or 
even old rags. Heat quite hot, then put inside the 
boot, and repeat until the boot is quite dry. 

Allow mud to dry on the shoes before brushing it 
off. Then rub over with kerosene oil and glycerine 
in equal parts. If glycerine is not available, the oil 
alone may be used. Even tallow or melted lard may 
be used in emergencies. 

For creaking shoes, put in a shallow pan or pie tin 

194 



ABACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

How a Man ^lay Valet Himself 

some melted lard and stand the shoes in it over night. 
This not only removes the creak, but makes them im- 
pervious to water. 

When a leather belt has been exposed to the wet 
during a hard, rainy ride, or a tramp through the wet 
underbrush on a hunting trip, it will become hard and 
easily cracked. Rub it well with kerosene or another 
oil. Put the oil on a rag and draw the belt rapidly 
through it a few times, then wipe dry with another 
cloth. Tallow, lard, or even vaseline are good sub- 
stitutes. 

The white canvas or leather shoes so much worn now 
In summer are easily cleansed, either with pipe-clay well 
rubbed in and allowed to dry, or with boxes of specially 
prepared paste that comes for the purpose. As most 
bootblacks now make a specialty of cleansing white 
shoes, the average man will find it cheaper in the end 
to patronize this " skilled labor " than to do his own 
shoes. 




195 




CHAPTER 

*' Everyttinff is -worse for wearing." 

It is not only the impecunious 
bachelor who is reduced to cleansing 
his own clothing. Emergencies are 
quite likely to arise at any time, in 
which prompt action may save cloth- 
ing from becoming ruined. " First 
aid to the injured " is quite as nec- 
essary in case of an overturned soup 
plate or a carving accident as on the 
battlefield or in a street brawl, and 
fortunate indeed is the man who 
knows just how to cope with a grease 
spot or a stain. 

There are many simple but effica- 
cious cleansing agents that may be 
employed, and every man should 
familiarize himself with a few of 
them to be used in case of emergency. 
Grease spots are the most common 
injuries to clothing, and these are 

197 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

How to Cleanse Clothes 

sometimes remo'ved m«re effectually by one applica- 
tion than another. Only the most simple rules will be 
given here, that may be followed by any man with a 
minimum of patience and time. 

A bachelor might fashion for himself a " handy 
box " containing various emergency tools, or possibly 
if he makes his wants known, some woman friend will 
take pity on his helplessness and get together the 
things for him. Besides the preparations mentioned 
in this chapter, there should be a fine sponge for spong- 
ing spots, a nail brush with fine bristles, a piece of 
Ivory soap, a roll of linen or cotton rags, another of 
flannel pieces, and a box of prepared French chalk, some 
clean pieces of blotting paper, a bottle of oxalic acid, 
one of salts of lemon, one of turpentine, and one of 
ammonia. 

YO ^^ these motor-mad days, what bachelor 

REMOVE has not suffered at some time from machine 
WHEEL OR grease and oil, while wrestling with a 
MACHINE stalled motor or choked carburetor? To 
remove this, or wheel oil, if a washable 
fabric, take cold rain water and washing or baking 
soda — either will do — rub the soda into the spot and 
wash out with cold water. Repeat the operation until 
the grease is gone. 

JO Frequently a man is bothered with mud 

REMOVE stains on the bottoms of his trousers, even 
MUD after the mud has been brushed off. In 

STAINS |.j^g £j.g|. piace^ never try to brush mud while 

it is wet. Allow it to dry slowly, then if a fine horse 

198 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

How to Cleanse Clothes 

hair brush fails to remove the stain, cut a potato in 
two and rub the raw surface on the spot. This will 
generally remove It. 

ALCOHOL One of the most effectual agents for the 
AND SALT removal of grease Is alcohol and salt in 
the proportion of four tablespoonfuls of alcohol to 
one tablespoonful of salt. Mix and shake until the 
salt is dissolved and apply with a woolen rag. 

IF OIL ever get on one's handkerchiefs, put them 

STAINS to soak in warm water in which a spoon- 
ful of ammonia has been turned. This removes the 
oil, but if once washed by ordinary methods, the stain 
will never come out. 

TO Put powdered French chalk thickly over 

REMOVE the grease spot. Cover with a sheet of 

GREASE brown paper and then set smoothly on the 
FROM in- 11 • M 

CARPETS P^P^^5 ^ hot flat iron and let remam until 

cool, when it will be found that the chalk 

has absorbed all grease. The chalk is easily brushed 

up. The same method may be used in removing grease 

from clothing, if desired. 

Many times a grease spot that is thought to have 

been removed will gather dust and betray Itself weeks 

after the original application of cleansing agents. In 

this case, the spot will generally respond to hot alum 

water applied with a sponge. Heat a cup of water 

and in it put sufficient powdered or lump alum to make 

a strong solution and let get very hot, dissolving the 

alum before applying. 

199 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

How to Cleanse Clothes 

BENZINE, are all excellent for removing grease and 

NAPHTHA other spots from clothing, but should never 

"'^ be used near a fire. Apply any of these 

GASOLENE ., uu- t. i • n 

with a cotton rag, rubbmg the spot briskly 

until It disappears. If possible, afterward hang the 
garment up in the sunlight until the gasolene, or what- 
ever has been used, has evaporated. 

CLEANING This cleaning mixture may be put up by 
MIXTURE any druggist, if a man wishes to keep on 
hand something a bit stronger than any of the above 
mentioned. One-half ounce of glycerine, one-half 
ounce of sulphuric ether, one-half ounce of castile soap, 
and sufficient warm water to make a quart of mixture. 
Scrape the soap and dissolve it in the warm water, then 
let cool and add the other ingredients. Keep in a 
bottle well corked and apply with a flannel rag or 
sponge. 

CLEANING Ivory brushes and knife handles may be 
IVORY nicely cleaned by using prepared chalk 
moistened with equal parts of ammonia and olive oil 
made intO' a paste and rubbed on the ivory. Rub off 
when dry. A second application may be necessary. 
Piano keys may be wiped with a cloth wet in alcohol. 

PAINT may generally be removed by applying 

STAINS spirits of turpentine. Benzine will also 
remove paint, but leaves its own stain. To remove 
that, apply powdered French chalk and let stand over 
night. The chalk brushes out easily from any fabric, 
so do not hesitate to use it. 

200 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

How to Cleanse Clothes 

BLOOD one Is generally most desirous of removing 
STAINS quickly, and this is how they do it in 
Heidelberg, where the duels are of such frequency that 
it seems someone is always running for a basin of warm 
water and ammonia, in which curtain, table cover, or 
bedclothes are soaked. If the stains have been allowed 
to dry, then procure some scales of pepsin and apply 
to the stains. This will digest the blood, and It can 
then be easily washed out. This they vouch for in 
Berlin hospitals where the Herr Doktor Is nothing If 
not resourceful. 

KEROSENE As soon as oil Is spilled on a carpet or 
STAINS table cover, sprinkle the spot thickly with 
corn meal, if you have It. If not, lay several layers of 
soft brown paper on the spot and press with a warm 
Iron. Apropos of irons, most bachelor menages now 
boast an electric Iron which may be attached by its 
tube to the fixtures of any room. It heats quickly and 
is a valuable asset, for the uses of a warm flatlron. If 
a man Is doing these little things for himself, are legion. 
ACID In laboratory work one Is apt to stain the 

STAINS clothing occasionally with acids. In spite 
of the care taken to prevent such a misfortune. Am- 
monia will generally destroy it If applied at once. 
Should the color not be restored In its original bright- 
ness, apply chloroform. Ammonia should never be 
used on any save fast colors. Stains made by vinegar 
or white wines or lemons may be removed from white 
goods as follows: wash the article In clear water, then 

20 1 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

How to Cleanse Clothes 

in chlorine water. If the colors are delicate, make 
some prepared chalk Into a thin paste with water and 
apply to the spot, brushing off when dry. 
VARNISH will readily respond to kerosene oil if 
STAINS rubbed In until the varnish is soft. Wash, 
after, with soap and water. This removes varnish 
from the hands very quickly. 

INK An overturned Ink well is a frequent mis- 

STAINS hap even In the best regulated bachelor 
apartments, and nothing causes his lordship so much 
consternation as to see the inky fluid trickling over 
his papers and running in a little rivulet over the carpet 
or table cover. The handy box should contain a bottle 
of salts of lemon for just such emergencies as these. 
Cover the Ink spots with this and let remain a few 
moments, when the stain will disappear. Wash the 
article with a brush and soap, rinse with clear water 
and wipe dry. Dry salt may be used. In case salts of 
lemon are not procurable. Apply at once, and as soon 
as the salt becomes discolored, brush off and apply 
fresh, wetting the salt slightly on the second applica- 
tion. Continue until the spot has disappeared. In 
case the Ink has run on the carpet or rug, apply salt 
and wet with milk. Let this remain until dry, and 
then rub off. Repeat the process If any stain remains. 
To remove any kind of stains from red ink, tartaric 
acid Is necessary. For white goods, make the spot 
damp with clear water and rub the acid Into It. For 
woolens and colored cottons, dilute the acid and apply 
it cautiously until the spots have disappeared. 

202 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

How to Cleanse Clothes 

INDELIBLE One would suppose that stains from indell- 
INK ble ink could not be removed, but they are 

by no means hopeless. A saturated solution of cyanuret 
of potassium and water will remove such stains. Apply 
carefully with a camel's hair brush. The cyanuret is 
a poison and should be handled with care. 
INKY The toller over the ledger Is often annoyed 

FINGERS by Inky fingers, and If he does not keep in 
the office lavatory a piece of pumice stone or hand 
sapolio, he may remove all traces of his trade by simply 
moistening the head of an ordinary sulphur match and 
rubbing the Ink spots with it. In using pumice stone 
for removing stains, first rub the stone on soap, then 
apply. 




203 




CHAPTER XXI 

"Expect not at anotlier's tand what you 
can do by your own." 

AIRING A woman who, as the 
THE BED mother of several sons, 
has many young men as guests at 
her large country house, says she 
can invariably judge a man from 
the care he takes of his room. A 
young man whjo has been well 
brought up, she says, never fails to 
turn hack his bedclothes upon aris- 
ing in the morning. If the clothes, 
sheets and all, are turned back 
smoothly over the footboard and the 
pillows placed near the open window 
in a convenient chair, she decides 
that the young man's mother instilled 
into him that good breeding which 
makes neatness and cleanliness and 
care imperative to his comfort and 
that of his hostess. She further adds 



205 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Handy Hints on Housekeeping 

a few remarks on the " fine husband that man is going 
to make " who remembers the little things, but they 
would be out of place in a bachelor book. Many there 
are, however, who never pay attention to such details, 
but leave the bed rumpled and tumbled as they jump 
out of it in the morning. The well-bred young man 
always airs his bed with the same care in which he 
takes his morning tub, putting the pillows, if possible, 
where the sunlight may fall upon them. Failing this, 
the air at least keeps the feathers fluffy and light and 
the ticking fresh and clean. 

TO CLEAN Hair brushes and clothes brushes need 
BRUSHES constant care to keep them in proper con- 
dition. Comb the loose hair and dust from them every 
time they are used. Once a week is not too often to 
clean the brushes in daily use. Pour in the wash basin 
some tepid water and add ammonia to make strong. 
Hold the brush in this a few moments, taking care not 
to let the water go above the bristles' top, then take 
a whisk broom and brush the bristles out as if dusting 
them. The ammonia cuts the dirt and grease, and 
makes a brush like new after such treatment. Dry In 
the sun or in the open air, if possible. If not, lay on 
a paper over the radiator. It should be first wiped dry 
with a clean cloth. Combs may be cleaned in the same 
way. To clean sponges, squeeze the juice of a lemon 
into the sponge and thoroughly work it into the fiber. 
Then rinse in warm water. This makes it sweet and 

206 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Handy Hints on Housekeeping 

clean as new. Horn combs, by the way, should not be 
cleaned in water, which causes them to split. One 
may buy for fifteen or twenty cents at almost any 
drug store small stiff brushes which come for the 
purpose of cleaning combs. 

TO Nowadays, with the prevailing craze for 

SCOUR collecting copper and brass, most houses 
COPPER contain at least a few pieces, and they re- 
quire special care if they be kept bright. To scour 
copper take two tablespoonfuls of bath brick dust and 
one tablespoonful of baking soda and mix thoroughly. 
Dampen a cloth in gasolene or coal oil, dip in the mix- 
ture and polish with that. Afterward polish with 
chamois skin. One young bachelor who boasts a fine 
collection of copper bought most of it from Russian 
Jews, and some pieces were almost hopeless at first. 
But this treatment and a little patience made them 
shine like new. 

TO Take putty powder and add to it sufficient 

BRIGHTEN sweet oil to make a paste. Rub with this 
BRASS ^]^g brass or copper until all foreign matter 

is removed. Then wash the article with soap and 
water and rub dry with a clean cloth. Brass may also 
be cleaned with lemon or orange juice thickened with 
whiting. Apply with a chamois skin or a flannel rag. 
To remove verdegris from brass, add to the juice of 
one lemon a teaspoonful of salt, mix well and apply 
with a soft flannel. Rinse and rub well with chamois 

207 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Handy Hints on Housekeeping 

skin. Be very careful If you have a scratch on your 
hand, as verdegrls Is a poison. Some collectors brighten 
brass without the use of paste, simply applying hot 
ammonia water. Or, better still, pour the aqua am- 
monia directly on the brass and scrub with a brush. 
Rinse In clear water and wipe dry. The result will be 
a beautiful polish. 

TO Scour with powdered borax and a damp 

BRIGHTEN rag, rinsing off with clear water. If dls- 
NICKEL colored, make a paste of equal parts of 

ammonia and alcohol and enough whiting 
to make thin, applying wlthi a piece of chamois skin. 
Rub the nickel with a piece of clean chamois or flannel 
until bright. This will keep the chafing-dish bright 
and clean. The smoke from the alcohol lamp should 
first be washed off In hot soap suds. If very thick, 
wipe ofE first with a piece of newspaper before washing. 
TO Silver flasks and other articles may be kept 

KEEP bright by wrapping from the air, in blue 

SILVER tissue paper. Never place near rubber, 

which quickly discolors It. A rubber band 
or a sulphur match will work havoc with silver in no 
time. 

CHIFFON- that stick or " creak " when opened are an 
lER OR annoyance to anyone, especially If he Is 
BUREAU hurried. This may be easily avoided by 

rubbing the edges of the drawer and the 
part on which it slides with a piece of soap, which 
makes it slide easily and noiselessly. 

208 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Handy Hints on Housekeeping 

A FEW Pictures should never be hung so high 
HINTS that It becomes necessary to mount a chair 

HANGING ^*" °^^^^ ^° ^^^ them. Hang so the center 
PICTURES ^^^^ ^^ ^^ ^ level with the line of vision 
of the person of average height, or about 
five and one-half feet from the floor. Never hang from 
one nail. Let the cord be carried over two nails or 
picture hooks, so to come squarely down to the corners 
of the frame. That gives an impression of carefulness 
and completeness. Everyone must consult his own 
taste as to the grouping of pictures. 

In hanging pictures the stock in hand should be 
looked over and a general scheme decided upon. Some 
pictures " go well together," others should be ruled 
out of the companionship of the select. Every" man 
has some decided preference in pictures; one may elect 
to have nothing but old English sporting prints, another 
may have photographs of the old masters for a hobby. 
Artists may pass this over, for in studio decoration 
artistic license holds sway, and far be it from anyone to 
suggest to the embryonic Meissonier or Gerome what to 
choose or how to hang it. 

Oil paintings and w^ater colors should never be al- 
lowed to become intimate com.panions, but the latter 
may hobnob with etchings, pastels, drawings, photo- 
graphs, and even engravings without losing their dig- 
nity. An oil painting of exceptional excellence should 
be given a special corner and preferably made still 
more exclusive by being hung in a black box, with 

209 



A BACHELOR'S CUPBOARD 

Handy Hints on Housekeeping 

immunity from contrast with or contact with pictures 
of another order. By the same token, there should be 
no Indiscriminate mixing of figure pieces and land- 
scapes — at least, they must not be at too close quarters, 
although they may appear In the same room. 

Water colors and pastels in delicate tints and black 
and whites and soft etchings should properly be placed 
in wall spaces where the light is strongest. The darker 
and more heavily shaded pictures should hang farther 
away from the light. From the faintly colored pictures 
in the clearest light, the glance should be involuntarily 
but skilfully led to the deeper toned pictures farther 
back In the room. 

Sometimes, however, a dark corner that needs bright- 
ening may demand a lighter picture or a spot of 
brilliant coloring may be risked. A pen-and-ink sketch 
with white mat^ along Gibson lines, fills In well in 
such a case. Harmony must be studied and the posi- 
tions of a picture well considered before its position Is 
decided. A picture with broad, white mat should 
never be hung next to a carbon In heavy black frame. 
The eye must be led, not jerked, from one picture to 
another. 




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